Bedworth United vs Gresley Rovers
Rovers too good for the Greenbacks
Gresley Rovers ensured that they would be heading up the M6 to Southport for
the next round of the FA Umbro Trophy in a comprehensive win at Bedworth United.
For the kick off it was the visitors who made the running and were rewarded
as early as 7 minutes when Andy Bourne opened the scoring.
Chris Parkins put Bourne clear and he made no mistake in steering his shot
beyond the on rushing Mark Jones.
It took Gresley only four further minutes to double their advantage when Chris
Gray laid the ball back into the path of the impressive Barry Woolley who crashed
a low shot which Jones misjudged and to the keeper's dismay saw trickle into
his net.
Gresley were clearly on top and against the run of the game Bedworth were handed
a lifeline.
Ryan Ford attempted to pass back to Gresley keeper James Lindley but on a pitch
not conducive to good football, the ball got held up in the mud and Chris Partridge
seized on the error and rounded Lindley and slotted the ball home.
The goal seemed to spur on the Greenbacks and player-manager Ian Drewitt went
close with a shot from 25-yards and Jake Fairbrother managed to deny Craig Whitmore
with a timely block.
The second half started the same as the first with Bourne breaking through
into the area. His shot, which beat Jones, was again held up by the mud allowing
John Kilbey to get back and clear the ball before it crossed the line.
Bedworth seemed to get a second wind and put a string of corners together in
quick succession the first after Ben Steane's 62nd cross was cleared by Fairbrother
but only as far as Adam Webster whose shot was deflected behind the line.
On 77 minutes Gresley increased their advantage. After a spell of intense Gresley
pressure, which had seen a Ford shot cleared off the line out for a corner.
Ford the former Manchester United youth player swung in the corner and the busy
Parkins managed to get between the home defenders and head in his 11th goal
of the season.
The tie was finally sewed up for Gresley with only eight minutes remaining
when Ford picked out Woolley form a free kick and the big defender headed home
his second of the match and his 8th of the season.
The manager's view of the game
"I though we should have gone in at the break 2-0 up but we gave away another
sloppy goal which we should have cleared from the back post.
"I knew they would come at us in the second half especially after getting the
goal just before the break.
"They did come at us but I thought we defended very strongly and our breaks
were very good. I thought we took our last two goal well and to be honest we
could have won by a bigger margin in the end."
Bedworth United (1) 1
Gresley Rovers (2) 4
Scorers: Partridge 33 (Bedworth United); Bourne 7, Woolley 11,82, Parkins
77 (Gresley Rovers).
Bedworth United: Jones, McGregor, Crowley (Parsons 10), Saunders, Kilbey
(Robinson 53), John, Steane, Drewitt, Webster, Partridge, Whitmore. Subs not
used: Rostron, Hoddy, Scope.
Gresley Rovers: Lindley, Bluck, Cheetham, Wardle, Woolley, Peters (Westwood
38), Bourne (Moran 84), Fairbrother, Ford, Parkins, Gray (Fletcher 84). Subs
not used: McGinlay, Middleton.
Rovers
Star Man: Barry Woolley - rock steady in defence scores.
Referee: G Stretton (Enderby).
Attendance: 161
