Match Report  |  Stocksbridge Park Steels vs Gresley FC

Those fifteen or so hardy followers of Gresley who made the long trip to Stocksbridge were rewarded by their side's gutsy performance at the Look Local Stadium.

Gresley manager, Gary Ricketts, was forced into another shuffle of his threadbare squad with Martin Smyth not recovering from his hamstring injury picked up at Basford on Saturday. However, he did have Lucas Harrison back after missing the weekend game.

With Ricketts serving the second of his three game ban and Jean Dakouri also absent he made a brave change to his starting line up moving John Guy, normally a defender, up front to partner Jordan Ball and the change paid off superbly as the makeshift striker rewarded his gaffer by scoring two good goals with Liam Holt scoring his first goal for the club to seal all three points.

Kallum Keane came in at centre half alongside Jake Carlisle with Jamie Barrett playing just in front of the back line in a five man midfield.

The home groundsman had done a very good job to get the surface in tip-top condition although a little slick with the recent rain we've all suffered.

Within the first few seconds of the game Gresley survived a scare when they managed to clear the ball away from their own box as Corey Gregory's ball into the danger area caused a frantic scramble which Carlisle eventually managed to deal with.

From their first corner of the game Steels went close to opening the scoring when a shot from just inside the area was deflected narrowly wide of visiting goalkeeper Rob Peet's far post.

Gresley began to find their feet and were starting to threaten themselves forcing a corner. Jack Langston's flag kick was cleared up field but a tackle by Carlisle stopped the rush forward. Jordan Ball collected the ball before slipping it to Guy who drove a low shot past home keeper David Reay and into the bottom right corner for a fine finish.

The visitors doubled their advantage on 24 minutes with a well worked goal. Langston found Matt Roome over on the right who in turn played a superb ball down the flank for Ryan King who then sent over a cross which Guy met perfectly volleying past the helpless David Reay.

A couple of minutes later referee Steven Abbott succumbed to what appeared to be a calf injury he'd picked up earlier. The senior assistant referee took over once a qualified replacement from within the home club had agreed to run the line delaying the match around six minutes or so.

The delay seemed to affect Gresley who had been having a good spell before the change and they were caught cold within a couple of minutes of the game re-starting when the new referee awarded the Steels what looked like a very dubious penalty which none of the opposition appeared to appeal for. Harrison Biggins slammed a shot into the area where, according to the referee, Keane handled. The explanation given after the game was that although Keane had both arms straight down by his side he moved slightly causing the ball to hit his arm!

Whatever the flimsy reason for the spot kick, Rory Coleman made no mistake smashing the ball into the net giving Peet no chance.

Steels did have the ball in the net again a few minutes later but an upraised flag cancelled out Gregory's effort as he was in an offside position.

Full credit to Gresley as they didn't let the earlier unjust penalty decision affect them and they continued to press Steels back. Holt flicked the ball on to Langston who fired just wide from the edge of the area.

More pressure from the visitors produced a third goal albeit a little fortunate. It was Guy again involved but this time as provider. He makes a good run down the right and then sends over a cross which is met by Holt. His downward header seemed to have been held by David Reay at his far post but the ball became like a bar of soap and it squirmed out of his grasp and over the line to give Gresley their two goal cushion back.

Steel looked determined to get back into the game in the second half and they had soon reduced the arrears. A slip from the Gresley backline allowed Brodie Litchfield to stride forward and with only the onrushing Peet to beat confidently slotted the ball past the keeper and into the net.

Would Gresley withstand what surely would be an onslaught from the home side for the remaining forty minutes or so.

They did more than that, they almost added to their tally. Five minutes after the Steel's goal Ball threatened to break through the home defence only to he dragged back by Matt Reay who was fortunate to receive only a yellow card. Perhaps Ball was too far out for a red card. From the ensuing free kick Holt's well struck effort skimmed the outside of the far post.

Langston then tried an audacious lob from the half way line as he saw David Reay well off his line but ball went wide of the goal.

On the hour mark Gresley had to reshuffle things when Kean went down with an Achilles injury to be replaced by young reserve team player Albert Lansdowne making his first team debut.

Barrett went back into the heart of the defence with Lansdowne playing in the captains position where he had a solid game.

Again the changes seemed to unsettle Gresley and Steel had a good chance to level but Litchfield headed Lee Thompson's cross wide from a good position and then substitute Adam Hinchcliffe hit a low shot which Peet could only palm away before blocking at his near post, Joe Lumsden's shot from the rebound for a corner.

Holt alleviated the pressure somewhat with a lung busting run through the middle from deep in his own half but the final shot flew agonisingly wide of the far post.

Back came Steel with Peet collecting the high ball into his box confidently with home players all around him. At the other end Langston's on target shot needed to be tipped around the post by David Raey.

It was heart in mouth for the hardy Gresley followers for the final 10 minutes as Steel applied pressure playing some good passing football. One such moment came when Gresley got caught on the break. Substitute Spencer Maw rounded Peet but the keeper forced the player wide and the chance was gone as some resolute defending eventually cleared the danger.

Another couple of chances for the home side from free kicks came and went as Gresley held on for a deserved three points.