Evo-Stik NPL League Division One South
The Dog & Duck, Wellingborough
Saturday, 10th September 2016, 3.00pm
Gresley and Diamonds Sparkle In The Rain.
If you had been a neutral and just picked this game at random you would have been mightily pleased with the wisdom of your choice of venue and the value of the entertainment served up by both sides.
In a pulsating end-to-end encounter there were six goals, two of them coming in the final two minutes of the game, superb saves and 100 percent given by both the hosts and the visitors.
Gresley were leading by two goals before Rushden clawed themselves back to level with just 18 minutes remaining only for the visitors to take the lead deep in time added on with a spectacular strike.
It looked to have been the winner, but no, another twist to the tale saw Rushden level again a minute later with the game ending 30 seconds later - a score which on reflection was the fairest outcome.
The travelling Gresley faithful would probably have been content with a point if they'd been offered one before the game.
Gresley manager Damion Beckford-Quailey made just one change to his starting eleven with Josh Egginton replacing Jordan Wakeling who was serving his one match ban for the sending off last week at Deeping Rangers.
Rushden came out of the blocks quickly and were the width of a post from taking a lead with barely a minute on the clock when Nabil Shariff smashed a shot on the turn which clattered the woodwork.
Gresley were trying to get into the game but were being pushed back by the hosts and Rushden went close again with Shariff hitting a low shot narrowly wide of the near post. They went close again a couple of minutes later but this time Robbie Parsons could only find the side netting with his shot.
The first attempt of any note for the visitors came on 24 minutes but Tendai Chitiza's shot flew straight at home keeper Matt Finlay. Courtney Meade then also fired a shot straight at Finlay before cutting in from the left and curling a looping shot which came off the face of the bar.
Some fine play from Gresley lead to them taking the lead on 31 minutes. Ben Harris sent a super diagonal ball through to Chitiza who in turn threaded the ball through to Meade at the far post who then cut it back to Pearson Mwanyongo who drilled the ball under Finlay from just inside the area.
Mwanyongo went close again just before the break but he didn't appear to connect cleanly and his shot went straight to Finlay.
Visiting keeper Rob Peet needed to be alert on 50 minutes reacting quickly to push a tremendous half volley from Ross Oulton away from the top corner.
To add to the homeside's frustration with not being level Gresley doubled their lead. A quick break down the left saw Reece Morris slip the ball through the backline for Meade to run on to and he duly converted the chance beating the advancing Finlay.
Mwanyongo had two chances to put the Moatmen even further ahead but both were well blocked.
Gresley were left to rue those missed chances as Rushden reduced the arrears when Lucas Harrison was adjudged to have handled the ball as he was bundled to the ground in his own area. Referee Richard Price pointed to the spot and Shariff sent Peet the wrong way.
That goal was the signal for more pressure on the visiting defence as the home side went looking for the chance to salvage something from the game. And that chance came a minute later but Taylor Orosz's stinging shot at the near post was well blocked by Peet.
They went even closer moments later as Shariff almost went through but a superbly timed last ditch tackle from substitute Matt Roome denied him. However, Rushden didn't have to wait much longer to draw level.
Oulton collected the ball outside the area on the left side and hit an absolutely thunderbolt of a shot which crashed into the net off the underside of the bar.
To be honest it was no more than they deserved but there were still more dramatic moments left in the match.
Oulton fired wide of the far post and from a free kick by Richard Bunting was played to Liam Dolman who struck a vicious shot which took a deflection and Peet needed two attempts to keep hold of the ball.
It was then the turn of Gresley to put the home supporters' hearts in their mouths with Jake Carlisle smashing a tremendous shot from 22 yards which cannoned back off the chest of Finlay but before Meade could poke the ball home it was cleared for a corner.
From the resultant corner kick the ball was played out to Morris who curled a shot just wide of Finlay's far post.
If that was not enough Gresley continued to go looking for a late winner and that left Oulton a chance to grab the glory but again his aim was not perfect and the ball flew wide.
Two-two was surely enough, but no, in the fourth minute of added on time Gresley scored again and if you thought Oulton's goal earlier was good this one was even better. Mwanyongo collected the ball just inside the Rushden half. He made his way forward and cut in from the right before curling a sumptuous curling effort from 22 yards out into the top far corner of Finlay's net with the keeper helpless.
Surely, that was it and Gresley would grab all three points. No chance! This game was not going to finish like that. With five minutes of added on time on the clock Rushden were awarded a free kick on the left a couple of yards or so inside the Gresley half. Oulton took the kick which seemed to skid on the wet surface through a melee of players in the Gresley box and somehow the ball found its way into the net despite the attempts of Peet to stop it.
Thirty seconds later the referee ended what had been an incredible afternoon of football in which both sides fully played their part.
