Evo-Stik NPL Division One South
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 5th March 2016, 3.00pm
Nine Men Gresley Lose At The Moat
Gresley's Jekyll and Hyde season continued at the Moat Ground with a poor performance which improved slightly in the second half despite being reduced to nine men.
Manager Gary Ricketts' team selection was hampered by Liam Holt not recovering from an ankle injury he aggravated on Tuesday meaning young reserve team player Albert Lansdowne being handed his first start for the club.
On a very heavy pitch the visitors settled first pumping high balls into Gresley's putting the home defence under pressure and they carved out the first chance but Harrison Biggins could only spoon his effort well over the bar.
Gresley then had a chance themselves when Chris Richards almost gets on the end of Jack Langston's cross.
Stocksbridge took the lead on 21 minutes. Gresley left back Lucas Harrison got caught in possession in the right corner and Scott Ruthven took advantage firing a shot which home keeper Rob Peet could only parry into the path of Rory Coleman who had the simple task of slotting the ball into an unguarded net.
Gresley's task was made harder when defender Jake Carlisle received a straight red card for allegedly stamping on a Steels player. The referee and the nearest assistant did not see the offence but the assistant the furthest away attracted referee Richard Gould's attention and the red card was shown. The supporters were then left waiting as all the officials consulted with each other before a free kick to Gresley was awarded!
The rest of the half was a non event and the referee relieved the tension as he blew his whistle.
Gresley were still visibly unsettled by the dismissal and almost fell further behind within a minute of the second half starting. A deflected shot allowed Adam Hinchliff a flag kick which came to Coleman who fired over the bar.
The referee was involved in another controversial decision on 50 minutes. As John Guy was trying to block Joe Lumsden the official said he'd used his hand to move the ball in the area but those supporters nearest to action would strenuously deny that account. What was very disappointing was when the referee showed another red card reducing Gresley to nine men.
Coleman took the resultant spot kick sending Peet the wrong way to double the visitors' advantage.
Gresley now had an enormous mountain to climb if they were to try and get something out of the game and hit back almost immediately causing panic in the Stocksbridge box when Harrison's cross from the left was pushed away by keeper David Reay where it hit a defender before skimming away for a corner.
On the hour mark Ryan King replaced Harrison and started to have an immediate effect getting around the back of the visitors defence and giving Gresley a threat up front which certainly wasn't evident before he arrived putting an inviting ball into the heart of the penalty area but Jordan Ball couldn't capitalise.
King then went close himself as he raced down the left before cutting inside leaving two defenders in his wake but his curling shot flew just the wrong side of the far post.
Reay had to make his one real save of the game when Lansdowne's cross was headed to Langston who struck the ball well forcing the keeper into a good save.
Gresley were hit with a sucker punch with ten minutes remaining. A long diagonal pass found Lumsden who was at least 2 yards offside missed by the assistant, who up until this point had seen everything, and he coolly slipped the ball past Peet.
The visitors almost rubbed more salt into Gresley's wounds when substitute Jack Poulton hit a shot which Peet did well to tip past the near post.
There was a slight glimmer of hope at the end when Langston fired a shot agonisingly wide of the far post.
