Pre-Season Friendly
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Friday, 29th July 2016, 7.30pm
Meade Double Helps Moatmen Claim A Fine Win
It is always pleasing to get one over on the neighbours from the other side of the Trent. Yes, it was a young Brewers side with just two or three first teamers but the old adage is true that you can only play what's in front of you.
In front of a healthy crowd of 763 Gresley were soon bringing the smiles to the Moat Ground faithful with their style of play and were soon putting the visitors under pressure with Ben Harris's looping shot forcing keeper Luke Wakeman to tip the effort onto the bar and away for a corner.
On 12 minutes Gresley were in front. A low cross from the right was smashed home at the far post by Courtney Meade.
The Moatmen almost made it two when Pearson Mwanyongo's cross found Meade at the far post but his header went over the bar.
Cameron Steele went close to grabbing a goal back for the Brewers when he cut in from the right with his shot taking a deflection which took the ball just the wrong side of the far post while at the other end Mwanyongo fired straight at the keeper. The play was end to end with Callum Butcher also hitting a shot at Gresley's keeper Rob Peet which lacked any pace.
Gresley doubled their advantage on 31 minutes when Jamie Barrett run through the middle and the ball went on to Meade who took the chance with aplomb finishing superbly.
Peet, who had largely been untroubled had to be alert when Marcus Harness struck a vicious shot which the Gresley keeper did well to push away diving to his left.
Matt Melbourne almost made it three getting on to a fine cross from Mwanyongo but his effort went straight to Wakeman.
Both sides made several changes for the second half and it was one of the Gresley substitutes Reece Morris who made an immediate impact. With only three minutes of the half on the clock. He collected the ball deep in the right corner, turned and jinxed his way past two defenders before curling a delicious left footed shot into the far corner of the net.
It was no more than Gresley deserved but the Brewers clawed themselves back into the game five minutes later. Marcus Dinanga threaded the ball through to Marcus Harness on the edge of the area. The forward took one touch before drilling a low shot past Peet.
Peet was forced into a good save tipping over Jadon Cotterhill's powerfully struck shot at his near post.
Morris warmed the palms of Wakeman with a shot and Mwanyongo almost provided a fourth goal for the Moatmen but his low driven cross into the box somehow found the wrong side of the near post.
Peet again came to his side's rescue when Brewers substitute made a fine solo run through the Gresley back line only to be denied by the keeper's block at the feet of the midfielder.
The final goal of the night came to the Brewers and like the other four a very good one. Dylan Garnett collected the ball on the right, took a couple of strides forward before curling an unstoppable shot into the top far corner.
