Gresley Rovers vs Armitage
Rovers go marching on – Rex Page – Burton Mail
Gresley continued their blistering start to their Banks’s West Midland League campaign at the Moat Ground last night.
Armitage’s honest endeavour proved totally inadequate as Gresley swept them aside to stretch their 100 percent record to four games.
Rovers failed to capture their scintillating form of the Bank Holiday weekend; a fact which did not escape the notice of manager Frank Northwood.
He said afterwards: “I thought we would get six, but we allowed ourselves to be dragged down to their level in the second half.”
Nonetheless, it was another satisfying performance from Rovers, who obliterated Armitage in the opening half hour.
It took them just nine minutes to seize the lead through Dave Butler, who produced a startling piece of control has he latched onto a Brian Beresford cross from the left before stabbing the ball in from eight yards.
The newly formed striking partnership unlocked the Armitage defence again in the 28th minute.
This time Butler was the provider, supplying a lovely touch on which sent Beresford scurrying clear to beat Martin Conneally.
Armitage spent most of the second half pinned deep into their own territory but the anticipated avalanche of Gresley goals failed to materialise.
Conneally prevented Armitage’s complete capitulation with a string of fine saves, notably from Brian Attley and Clive Arthur.
Tragically after making such an outstanding contribution, Conneally was involved in the blunder, which presented Rovers with their third goals five minutes from the end.
He got in a near post tangle with Andy Earl as the pair attempted to deal with Beresford’s low cross from the right and the ball squirmed loose to give Ian Early a simple tap in.
Gresley Rovers (2) 3
Armitage (0) 0
Scorers: Butler, Beresford, Earley.
Gresley Rovers: McNamara, Attley, Bromley, Davies, Watkiss, Thompson (Dolby 75), Arthur, Dearn, Butler, Beresford, Early.
Armitage: Conneally, Earl, Palmer, Mason, Todds, Hucks, Burrows, Hastings, Keen, Griffiths (Cockerill 65), Bottomley.
Referee: PJ Rejer (Tipton)
Attendance: 214
