Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round Replay
Owen Street, Coalville
Tuesday, 1st September 2015, 7.45pm
Ravens Rule The Roost
By whatever measure you use to gauge a football match this was a very poor game for Gresley and for their travelling supporters to watch.
The home side were quicker, more hardworking, determined, stronger and more clinical in front of goal and once the second goal went in on the hour the game was over as Gresley seemed to shrink back into their shells as Coalville sliced through with ease and if they'd have been a bit more accurate with their finishing could easily have added two or three goals more.
There was such a marked difference between the performance on Saturday and with this game. Saturday should have seen the tie finished in Gresley's favour but it wasn't to be, such is football.
Gresley manager Wayne Thornhill is still struggling to field a settled side with players missing for various reasons and this is surely not be ideal to get his side functioning as he would like.
In a tight and tense first fifteen minutes Coalville had the best chance to open the scoring when a free kick allowed a free header which went wide.
On 16 minutes the home side took the lead with a superb strike from the left by Aaron Hooton which flew into the far corner of the net.
The rest of the first half was unmemorable with both sides cancelling themselves out and little action to report.
However, the second half was more entertaining with Gresley keeper Ryan Swift making a fine save to deny Danny Jenno's header from a free kick doubling the home advantage.
Swift again came to his side's rescue making another very good save from Alex Troke's well struck shot.
Yet another set piece gave Coalville their second goal. A corner from the left was not defended and Hooton was on hand to score his second goal from close in.
The question now was would Gresley dig in and fight. Sadly the answer was no as their hosts were finding easy to slice through the visiting defence with almost every attack.
Two minutes later the tie was as good as dead when Dean Freeman scored from yet another set piece heading Jared Holmes' corner from the right into the net at the far post.
Gresley's solitary attempt on goal came with fifteen minutes remaining. Awarded a free kick a yard or so outside of the area, Jack Langston hit a powerful low shot which home keeper Sean Bowles blocked with his legs.
It was so easy for Coalville as they added goal number four when a cross from the right was prodded home by substitute Alex Dean and Gresley's night was made worse when another cross this time from the left was headed back across goal for Graves to slot home for goal number five.
Let's hope this game is the kick up the rear that Gresley need to get them going just as the Mickleover drubbing at Christmas seemed to do for the rest of last season. A performance at Tividale on Saturday would be a good chance to get the season going and put this nightmare performance behind them.
