Evo-Stik NPL League Division One South
Look Local Stadium, Stocksbridge
Tuesday, 16th August 2016, 7.45pm
Gresley Show Their Steel
Gresley got their first win of the season with a hard fought game at Stocksbridge. The only downside to the victory was the sight of Matt Melbourne being helped off the pitch with suspected ligament damage to his ankle meaning a lengthy lay off for the striker of possibly four to six weeks.
Manager Damion Beckford-Quailey had said he would make changes after the draw at home against Rugby Town and he was true to his word. Alvin Jarvis, Reece Morris, Dexter Morris-Clarke and Matt Melbourne were given a start and Jordan Wakeling made his league debut coming on in the second half in place of Pearson Mwanyongo.
Matt Roome had only come back from a weekend away so he was not included in the squad. Also missing were Lynas King and Eddy Samba who are yet to make a league appearance. Samba will be training this week after recovering from an injury. Ben Harris was also absent.
It was a slow start for Gresley as their opponents pressed them back for large periods of the first half with the visitors having to cope with the persistent long high balls into their half.
Ironically, it was from a long high ball from Gresley that went close to opening the scoring as Courtney Meade beat the keeper to the bounce but his effort went wide.
Stocksbridge were having the better of the chances but could not convert any of them due to some wayward finishing and determined defending.
A good move from Gresley was finished with Meade firing over the bar from the edge of the area but again the home side came back with Sam Fewkes firing over from distance. A cross from Ashley Burbeary found Scott Ruthven whose shot was blocked on the line and minutes later a corner from Burbeary was headed into the side netting at the far post by Liam McFadyen.
Defenders from both sides were being effective and working hard to keep the chances down to a minimum as the first half ended goalless.
Stocksbridge were first to carve out a chance within five minutes of the second half starting when Burbeary struck a low shot which Gresley goalkeeper Rob Peet saved well diving down to his right to push the ball away for a corner.
Gresley began to get into the game more playing the sort of football seen during pre-season. Tendai Chitiza made a fine run down the left before picking out Meade who put his shot just wide of the far post.
The visitors took the lead on 62 minutes. A goal bound shot was handled on the line by McFayden giving referee Mr Bickerdike no choice but to award a penalty and to show a straight red card for the misdemeanour. Pearson Mwanyongo made no mistake from the spot hammering an unstoppable shot into the net.
Despite Steels being one man down they hit back almost immediately with Fewkes cutting in on the left before hitting a low shot which Peet did well to hold on to at the near post.
Steels levelled on 66 minutes when a woefully missed placed pass by Morris-Clarke fed the ball into the path of Ruthven who gladly accepted the gift drilling the ball past Peet.
A couple of minutes later the home side should have gone ahead but Joe Lumsden could only curl his shot wide of the far post. Again they came back with Harrison Biggins flying down the left but Peet saved well to deny him a goal.
Gresley regained the lead on 74 minutes. A ball into the area was collected by Chitiza who turned before striking a low shot past Steels keeper David Reay.
For the final ten or so minutes Gresley were camped in the Steels half with Meade making a run down the middle but his shot whistled the wrong side of David Reay's post.
Gresley went close to capping off a good second half performance with a third goal with Mwanyongo doing well in the area but his shot was blocked on the line.
The second half was much better than the first for Gresley and in the end could have increased their advantage against a hard working Steels side. The only blight on the result was the injury to Melbourne who had worked hard before collecting his ankle injury.
