GKN Sankey vs Gresley Rovers
Sankey Sorrow – Mike StJohn – Burton Mail
After showing so much sparkle and determination on the opening day of the season, lack lustre Gresley Rovers came back to earth with a dull thump at the GKN Stadium last night.
A single goal on the hour by GKN's Mel Watkins sentenced Rovers to a surprise defeat that ensures that they will play no further part in the Banks's Brewery West Midlands League Cup this season.
Gresley's hasty preliminary round exit followed a miserable team performance, when unlike Saturday; the visitors seemed to find great difficulty in piecing their game together.
Missed first half opportunities proved costly, and without a platform to start the second half with, the Moatmen's already flagging composure buckled when Watkins scored the 59th minute winner.
What made Gresley's single goal defeat even harder to swallow was the fact that GKN offered no more resistance than the team the Moatmen so comprehensively defeated on Saturday 3 – 0, Shifnal Town.
Sadly, front men Dave Butler and Clive Arthur lacked the bite given so willingly some 48 hours or so earlier, although the two-goal hero on that occasion, Phil Gee, did show the occasional burst of inspiration.
Gresley were denied a 12th minute lead when Arthur's free kick from the right was quickly deflected onto the left post by defender Pete Childs, Butler screwed an earlier effort wide with their goalkeeper, Andy Spooner, beaten, and in a later attack Butler neatly rounded his marker to twist his way into the penalty area before smashing a shot against the post.
Roger Davies, back in the Rovers side after returning from holiday, had a golden chance to give Rovers a 26th minute lead, but the gremlins were at work yet again when, in mis-hitting the ball with only Spooner to beat, Davies sent it spinning across the face of the goal.
Spooner was quick to dash off his line to scoop up a long ball from Brian Attley on the half-way line with the lightning Gee homing in as GKN remained unscathed.
Shortly before half time Gresley were a trifle fortunate when Kev Worton broke through on the left side to send over a low cross for Watkins, who only just failed to connect, missing an almost certain quick-fire goal.
In the early stages of the second half Gee chased a long Ian Earley ball, only to plant the ball into the right side netting.
At the other end Mark Comerford held on to the ball for too long, Mark Bromley effectively shadowed his man and Comerford's eventual shot resulted in a full stretched save by Gresley keeper Martin McNamara.
GKN hit a purple patch and their sudden application of pressure resulted in Watkins' 59th minute strike.
Bromley made a good challenge on Comerford on the right bye-line to present Sankey's with a corner; Worton floated the flag-kick over, Graham Mahew headed the ball on and Watkins smashed the ball through a crowded area from 14 yards out.
Steve Dolby replaced Butler in the 65th minute, and although Gresley created more after the substitution, a goal still eluded them.
The Moatmen won a series of corners on the right, but despite the activity Spooner was never seriously threatened.
Indeed, it was a fine one-handed tip-over by McNamara from Mark Pound's header, with 13 minutes to go that caught the attention.
Phil 'Dixie' Dearn made an important headed goal-line clearance at the right post in the dying stages, but by then defeat had stamped its mark on unhappy Gresley.
GKN Sankey (0) 1
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Scorer: Watkins 59 (GKN Sankey).
GKN Sankey: Spooner, Warrilow, Childs, Teece, Mahew, MacKenzie, Pound, Eccleston, Comerford, Watkins, Worton. Sub: Cawley.
Gresley Rovers: McNamara, Earley, Attley, Bromley, Watkiss, Thompson, Arthur, Gee, Butler (Dolby 65), Dearn, Davies.
Referee: M Ibbotson (Shrewsbury).
