Derbyshire Senior Cup 3rd Round
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Tuesday, 8th December 2015, 7.45pm
Extra Time Joy For Moatmen
Gresley's new player manager Gary Ricketts got the best start to his tenure with a gritty win over near neighbours Mickleover Sports at the Moat Ground in the 3rd round of the Derbyshire Senior Cup.
On a heavy pitch after the rain during the day, both sides served up an entertaining game with action at both ends of the field and played in a good spirit with hardly a poor tackle from either side.
Five goals were served up with Gresley getting the crucial winner in extra time with substitute Ryan King scoring the goal of the game.
Goal keeper Rob Peet was handed the number one jersey as he returns after an illness which has kept him out of the side since the middle of October. Also returning was defender Lucas Harrison who returned to the club earlier in the week.
The Premier Division visitors were quick off the mark with the impressive Andy Dales curling a shot just over the bar. While at the other end some good play between Ricketts and Martyn Smyth ended with Smyth managing to get his shot off which was blocked by Sports keeper Max Smith-Varnum.
Gresley created another chance minutes later when John Guy laid the ball back for Jean Dakouri whose first time shot was blocked just inside the area. The visitors then had a chance when Gresley failed to clear a free kick and the ball came back to the far post but Jake Green could only fire wide.
Peet needed to be on his toes when he first denied John McGrath and then Anthony Griffith-Junior after the latter had made his way into a good position.
It was then Gresley's turn to try their luck when Ricketts flicked the ball on to Jordan Ball who got the better of his marker but he fired straight into the midriff of Smith-Varnum. Smyth then tested the keeper who managed to get a touch to the cross ball to push it away for a corner. Jack Langston swung in the corner from the left but Guy could only head wide.
At the start of the second half Gresley made a change with King replacing Conor Green and he immediately began to have an impact on the game. With almost his first touch he slipped the ball through to Ball who in turn picked out Ricketts with his pass who was unlucky to slip the ball just past the far post. Peet once more kept his side in the game when he made a point blank save from Jake Green.
King went close to opening the scoring for the Moatmen. A defender dallied on the ball hoping it would roll over the bye line but a lively King nipped in and took the ball ran in on goal but put his shot into the side netting.
Gresley only had to wait a minute or so before they took the lead. Dakouri sent Ball on his way into the area only for Chris Spencer's clumsy tackle to fell him giving referee Ian Smedley no option but to award the spot kick. Ricketts took the kick putting the ball into the bottom corner.
Before the supporters had time to settle Gresley were two up. Ball slipped the ball to his left to Matt Roome who in turn finds Ball who had continued his run forward. The Gresley striker controlled the ball ran across the face of Sports' goal before slipping the ball into bottom corner of the net.
Ball went close to doubling his tally but his goal bound effort was deflected away for a corner. Moments later Smyth went very close but put his free kick agonisingly wide of the near post.
Sports reduced the deficit with a spot kick themselves. Substitute Kurtis Morley made his way into the area only for Dakouri's challenge to bring him down. Again the referee pointed to the spot. Fellow substitute Anthony O'Neill-Dwyer took the kick which Gresley goalkeeper Peet almost held but the ball seemed to roll over his body and into the net.
The goal gave Sports a life-line and they began to apply pressure on the Gresley defence with Dales firing just wide. But, their pressure paid dividends in time added on. A shot from the right was deflected out to Nico DeGirolame who made no mistake slamming the ball into the net. Gresley's venture into this season's county cup could have come to an end when, in the second minute of time added on, a corner from the right was cheekily back heeled by O'Neill-Dwyer but he was denied by a fine save from Peet.
In the first couple of minutes of extra time Mickleover had the chance to take the lead as they were awarded another penalty as a result of Peet getting the slightest of touches on Simeon Oshoboke who fell down in the area. Again O'Neill-Dwyer took the kick but this time it was Peet who came out on top as he saved the spot kick.
With 10 minutes gone in the first half of extra time Gresley took what proved to be the winner with the goal of the game. King made a good run down the left before cutting in and curling a superb shot over the visiting keeper and into the top far corner of the net.
As was expected Sports came back looking to take the game into penalties. Peet made another fine save when a shot took a deflection off Jake Carlisle and looked to be heading into the net at the foot of the near post.
Gresley had their backs to the wall for the final few minutes as wave after wave of attack, mainly through Dales, came at them. There were a few scares as Gresley failed to clear the danger on a number of occasions allowing Micklover to carve out chances one of which went close when Sam Finlaw flicked a McGrath corner fractionally wide but the Moatmen managed to hold on and now await to see who they will meet in the quarter-final.
