Match Report  |  Gresley FC vs Coalville Town

It's a pity that a local derby game like this one will largely be remembered for the performance of the man in black rather than the football.

The referee Timothy Walker awarded three penalties one which was nailed on, one a little soft and one that shouldn't have been given which didn't adhere him to the home supporters.

Gresley have now played three of the play-off hopefuls in succession and have been beaten by all three with Shaw Lane being the most impressive. Having been beaten it shows that Gresley fall short of what is required to compete at the top but they have been the authors of their own downfall in many of the games and this one was no different.

Gresley manager Gary Ricketts came back into the side but he was missing influential midfielders Jack Langston (holiday) and Liam Holt (suspended).

Ryan King was soon showing why he was chosen to start getting the better of Danny Jenno with nearly every run he made forward and he went close with his first chance but put his shot wide of the far post following a good run down the left.

However, it was the visitors who struck first with the first chance of the afternoon. A run down the right ended with a cross from Nathan Watson into Gresley's box and Lee Torr was given the space and time to slot the ball home unmarked at the far post.

Gresley came back with Ricketts trying an overhead kick which flew wide and then Jordan Ball flicking on the ball to King but his shot went straight at visiting keeper Sean Bowles.

For yet another game Gresley made the task much harder on themselves by conceding a certain penalty on the stroke of half time when Jake Carlisle brought down Callum Woodward giving the referee the easy task of awarding a penalty which Alex Troke put away sending Peet the wrong way.

Coalville went close early in the second half when Troke hit a free kick just outside the 'D' that flew over the bar.

The hosts were back in the game on 66 minutes when Martin Smyth was brought down in the area and the referee awarded yet another spot kick. It was a soft penalty in all honesty but Ricketts stepped up to smash the ball into the net with Bowles choosing the wrong way.

Could that goal give Gresley the lift they needed? Indeed it did because they went close to levelling the game. Chris Richards had replaced Smyth and almost made an immediate impact but was unlucky to see his effort, after cutting into the area from the left, cannon back off the near post.

Coalville came back strongly forcing two corners which were dealt with by the Gresley defence and they went close again. A free kick taken by Troke found Dean Freeman in acres of space but his header from the middle of the area went over the bar.

Gresley's afternoon was made worse when Coalville were awarded a very dubious penalty. Substitute Arron Hooton ran into the area shepherded by Guy and the faintest of touches made Hooton make a display which Tom Daly would have been proud of. Despite the protests from home players and supporters alike Mr Walker was impressed enough to point to the spot for the third time with Woodward converting.

Very harsh on the Moatmen who had tried to battle back into the game.