Evo-Stik NPL Division One South
Owen Street, Coalville
Monday, 28th March 2016, 3.00pm
Unfortunate Gresley Slip Up Again
A 44th minute strike from Nathan Watson was all that separated the two sides in a well matched game at Owen Street.
To a visitor it would have been difficult to decide who was the promotion chasing side and who was at the other end of the table as there was hardly anything between the teams. Indeed, for much of the game Gresley were the better side despite having to play over half an hour of the second half with just ten men after Liam Holt was red carded.
Skipper Jamie Barrett came back into the heart of the defence with John Guy filling the left back role. Martin Smyth returned to the starting line-up with Matt Cottrell replacing Rob Peet between the posts.
Playing with the wind at their backs Gresley started brightly and were close to taking the lead when a corner from the left by Jack Langston swung in but just over the bar.
Gresley again went close to opening the scoring when a corner, this time from Holt, found Gary Ricketts but Sean Bowles did well to get his hands to the ball pushing it away but the ball struck Rickets and somehow cleared the bar.
The visitors were on top and frustratingly missed another chance when Langston picked out Michael Pearson who then raced down the right before firing a shot across Bowles but also the wrong side of the far post.
Town took the lead with their first shot on target. Almost on the halftime whistle a corner by Watson was only half cleared and Cameron Powell managed to get his foot on the ball before laying it into the path of Watson who drilled his shot into the far bottom corner.
That was very harsh on the visitors who had been much the better side in the first half.
After a half time downpour, the second half started in the worst possible way for Gresley when they were reduced to ten men for the second successive game. A reckless tackle by Holt on the touch line just inside the Coalville half on Alex Dean gave referee Stuart Eagland the simple task of reaching for a straight red card.
Despite being a man down Gresley continued to work hard, something missing in recent games, and dug in as Coalville sensed that there might be more goals for them. They went close when a corner from Watson was headed against the post by substitute Alex Hooton and the rebound well punched away by Cottrell.
The visitors were dealt another blow when midfielder Langston hobbled off the pitch with a knee injury which probably will see his season ended to be replaced with Carlisle.
Gresley were still driving forward but were lacking that cutting edge which is desperately needed. Smyth tried his luck with a shot from distance but is sailed over the bar.
Town's substitute Brad Munn, returning after injury, went close after a slick passing move between him and Watson saw the final ball fly just over Cottrell's bar.
They went close again when Munn hammered a goal bound shot which Guy did well to head over the bar.
That was the final serious attempt of any note in the game and it ended with Gresley's travelling support disappointed that their side didn't claim a point which their play had surely warranted.
