Evo-Stik NPL League Division One South
Novus Stadium. Kidsgrove
Wednesday, 30th November 2016, 7.45pm
Kidsgrove Hit Gresley For Five
Make no bones about it this was a thrashing and arguably the most inept showing of the season from Gresley.
Despite playing well in patches, those patches were few and far between but it was the defensive frailty that was the most disturbing. The stats show both sides having 7 shots on target but the biggest difference was that 5 of Kidsgrove's found the back of the net whereas Gresley could only record one solitary goal.
Gresley handed Kidsgrove a goal lead after just 6 minutes and despite levelling 8 minutes later conceded another soft goal followed by another on the stroke of half time which virtually ended the game.
Manager Damion Beckford-Quailey was forced into changes at the back with Ryan Walker unavailable through work commitments and Matt Roome injured. Ben Harris who only made the game just before kick off was named on the bench. There was a new goalkeeper with Matt Coton taking the number one shirt with Rob Peet still out injured.
On a slippery pitch on which both sides found traction difficult Kidsgrove went close when a shot cannoned off the underneath of the bar and bounced out but two minutes later they were in front. Coton's attempted clearance was charged down flew out to John Johnston who returned the ball into the unguarded net.
They should have extended their lead six minutes later when Johnston, who was causing mayhem down the right, put in an inviting cross which should have been put away at the far post.
Pearson Mwanyongo fired a shot at home keeper Harry Pickering who could keep hold of the ball but there was no Gresley player on hand to capitalise.
Gresley drew level on 14 minutes when Leandro Browne made a good run down the left and into the area finishing the move by putting in a low cross which Matt Melbourne hammered home. Browne made another good run but this time his shot was straight at the keeper.
The visitors then handed Kidsgove the lead once more when a poor header from Jamie Barrett landed at Lewis Bergin's feet and he gladly dispatched the ball past Coton from 10 yards out.
Gresley looked in total disarray with the home side continuing to force them back but one glimmer came when Toby Fura unleashed a looping shot which wasn't too far wide. Lucas Harrison then drove a low shot into the box where Tendai Chitiza managed to get in front of Pickering but his touch was wide.
The visitor's dismal first half was summed up perfectly as some poor defending allowed Kidsgrove to extend their lead two minutes into time added on when Johnston again got behind the Gresley defence down the right before sending a low cross into the box where Anthony Malbon was waiting to stab the ball home from close in.
Usually Gresley seem to play better in the second half but not this time. Kidsgrove could have scored a fourth goal within five minutes of the re-start when a corner from the right found Leon Ashman unmarked at the far post but his header was too high.
That should have served as a warning but it wasn't heeded and more poor defending allowed Johnson to race unchallenged to the edge of the area where he finished the move by curling his shot out of the reach of Coton and into the far bottom corner of the net.
Gresley were making some good progress through the home defence but once into the final third the move either fizzled out or a poor choice was made shooting when a pass would have been preferred or passing when a shot would have been the better choice.
Malbon had a shot parried by Coton and at the other end Reece Morris made a dash into the area only to have his shot blocked by the legs of Pickering at his near post.
The fighting spirit usually associated with this Gresley side was sadly lacking and the game was put far out of their reach when a shot from left by Harry Clayton beat Coton adding goal number five and increasing Gresley's embarrassment.
Indeed, Gresley could have been punished further if a free header hadn't been cleared off the line.
