Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 29th August 2015, 3.00pm
It's All To Do Again
Football can be a very frustrating game especially when you are a faithful supporter of Gresley. They did witness goals from the Moatmen in a competitive game at the Moat for the first time this season but they were also made to watch their side give away a two goal lead with just four minutes of normal time remaining.
Gresley were caught out from two set pieces with goals from Coalville on 86 minutes and again on 90 minutes, with the first of their brace hotly disputed as to whether it should have allowed to stand.
A first half goal from captain Jamie Barrett which was added to by Chris Richards in the second looked to have wrapped this Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round tie up until the disappointing last few minutes allowed a very relieved Coalville side another bite of the cherry on Tuesday.
For the umpteenth time Gresley manager Wayne Thornhill had to make changes to his side with goalkeeper Liam Roberts and fellow loanee not being allowed to play by their parent clubs. Also absent was Richard Bailey. However, Kallum Keane had recovered from his recent knock to return to the heart of the defence.
Gresley got off to a good start and were soon ahead on 5 minutes when Barrett powered his header from James Jepson's cornerpast visiting keeper Sean Bowles.
Four minutes later they went close to doubling their advantage with John Guy hitting a shot on the turn only to have his goal bound shot blocked for a corner.
The home side were piling on the pressure and another corner saw Barrett go narrowly close to adding to his tally but this time he headed Sam Wood's corner just over the bar and then the skipper went close again this time heading fractionally wide of the far post. Jack Langston then had a shot blocked with Alex Steadman firing the rebound wide.
Coalville went close themselves with Jake Woolley having his shot on target deflected over for a corner.
Were Gresley going to rue all those missed chances and a golden chance to have been out of sight by the break?
The first chance of the second half came to the visitors when Alex Dean flew down the right before picking out Nathan Watson who disappointingly headed well wide.
Gresley scored their deserved second goal just after the hour mark. Steadman collected clearance deep in his own half on the left. He then sent a superb long diagonal pass to Richards who after controlling the ball raced forward beating a couple of defenders before curing a delicious shot around Bowles and into the top far corner of the net.
Wood made a lung bursting dash through the middle but the hard working midfielder was denied by a good save from Bowles as his shot headed toward the top corner. Langston was then denied as his shot was blocked.
Coalville got themselves back into the game with only four minutes left on the clock. A corner from the right was put into the box where Swift was clearly pushed by Woolley as he tried to claim the ball leaving Aaron Hooton to head home. The Gresley players were incensed by the poor decision from the officials with the infringement seen by nearly everyone in the ground!
That controversial goal seemed to unsettle the home side and their frustrations were added to when another corner four minutes later was not dealt with leaving Dean Freeman to head home from close in.
Both sides now have to fight it out again on Tuesday night to see who will visit Southern League Premier outfit Stratford Town.
