Evo-Stik NPL League Division One South
Bob Stokeld Stadium, Gedling
Tuesday, 27th September 2016, 7.45pm
Gresley Remain Unbeaten
Despite dominating the first half somehow Gresley went in for the half time break level. They had had enough chances to have been well out of sight but Gresley just couldn't find the back of the net.
All five goals came in the second half but thankfully Gresley did not rue the plethora of missed chances and finished with all three points and an unbeaten league start to the season the best since they reformed in 2009.
Gresley manager Damion Beckford-Quailey made several changes from their visit to Spalding on Saturday. Goalkeeper Ben Gough replaced the injured Rob Peet, Jamie Barrett, Ryan Walker and Josh Egginton came into defence while Eddy Samba came in for Ben Harris who had broken down in the pre-game warm up. Tendai Chitiza returned after missing the previous game and Toby Fura came in for Michael Pearson.
The visitors were on top from the start with Courtney Meade seeing his goal bound shot deflected for a corner with only 5 minutes gone.
Within the space of 10 minutes Gresley had four decent chances to take the lead with Meade having three of them. The first on 10 minutes saw Meade beat the offside trap only to fire his shot straight at keeper Jack Steggles.
A minute later a run down the left by Reece Morris ended with a pass to Meade who fired over the bar and Meade once more caught the home defence napping but again could only put the ball into the grateful hands of Steggles.
The final chance of this spell saw Chitiza make a fine run down the right on 20 minutes and put a cross into the box. Unfortunately, the ball fell just behind the onrushing Fura who couldn't get his foot on the ball.
Carlton had yet to register a shot anywhere near the Gresley goal and those they did manage were high and wide.
As the half drew to an end Barrett headed wide from Fura's corner and Harrison, who had earlier replaced the injured Samba, cracked a blistering shot which struck the near post with the rebound put wide.
The travelling Gresley faithful, management and players must have gone into the break wondering if those misses would come back to haunt them later in the game.
However, Gresley continued to press forward in the second half and it paid off. Some good football saw Mwanyongo slide the ball to Morris who in turn picked out Meade who slotted the ball home on 57 minutes.
Would that open the flood gates? Unfortunately, no it didn't because the lead only lasted 6 minutes as Carlton drew level. A long throw into Gresley box appeared to dropped by Gough under a challenge and Kieran Walker gratefully stabbed the ball home from close in, the first shot on target for the home side.
That goal seemed to give Carlton some heart and they went close to taking the lead minutes later but Romaine Graham could only head a free kick over the bar.
On 68 minutes Gresley regained the lead. Mwanyongo made a run down the right before cutting in and firing a shot which was blocked. The forward seemed to stumble but regained his balance and fired the ball past Steggles and into the bottom far corner.
Mwanyongo went close to adding a third goal but Steggles managed to push the effort away before Morris could only fire his shot at the keeper. Meade was rewarded for some good work on 83 minutes by slamming a low shot past Steggles to increase Gresley's lead.
Mwanyongo looked to have added a fourth goal minutes later but his shot was deflected and came back off the far post.
The final goal was disappointing as it gave the score the appearance that the game had been a close one but nothing could be further from the truth. The ball came over to the far post but was not dealt with the Gresley players all expecting each other to deal with the ball but no-one did and it ran across the face of the goal to be poked in at the near post by Kieran Walker, Carlton's only other shot on target.
