Match Report  |  Sheffield FC vs Gresley FC

Gresley manager Damion Beckford- Quailey had instructed his players to keep thing tight at the back and to defend. Did they listen? It didn't seem so as the visitors fragile defence was exposed twice in the first twenty minutes leading to the manager's annoyance and frustration in his after-game interview.

Beckford- Quailey had to make changes to his side for the umpteenth time this season with Matt Roome, Tom Manship and Rob Peet still on the injured list, Tendai Chitiza missing through family reasons, Ben Harris through illness and Jamie Barrett unavailable.

Gresley started well with Pearson Mwanyongo forcing home keeper Chris Butt to tip his shot over the bar.

The visitors were awarded a free kick on the left which was blocked. The second shot was also blocked but the third shot was cleared down the pitch to Mohammed Hamid who easily got the better of Ryan Walker before cutting in and laying a low cross into the path of Adam Johnson who took his chance well slamming the ball past the exposed keeper Matt Coton.

Cortney Meade then beat the offside trap and raced down the right but his shot blazed over the bar. Leandro Browne curled his shot from the left just the wrong side of the first post as Gresley went looking to get back on terms.

However, some more poor play led to goal number two for the home side who are on a tenth game unbeaten league run. Dexter Morris-Clarke got caught in possession him his own half and a slip by Josh Egginton gave Alec Denton the time to run forward before firing by Coton.

Things could have got a lot worse for Gresley but they were saved from more embarrassment by the woodwork. Sheffield were awarded a free kick on the edge of the area taken by Matt Roney only for his effort to cannon back off the base of the post.

How would Gresley respond? Well, they dug in and got back into the game when a good ball through the middle for Keenan King to run onto before smashing a low shot past Butt and into the net.

Mwanyongo's hard struck shot was blocked as Gresley were now dominating the game through the football they were playing and their play got the reward they deserved on 42 minutes. Lucas Harrison's deep cross from the left to the far post was spectacularly volleyed home by Reece Morris.

Both sides had chances to grab a first half lead with Meade firing his shot on the turn over and Hamid having his effort pushed away by Coton diving full stretch to his left.

Gresley had worked hard to get back into the game after a disastrous start with two well taken goals.

Sheffield started the second half strongly with Coton having to push away another attempt on goal by Sheffield.

Gresley had a glorious chance to take the lead on 58 minutes. A woefully short backpass by Tom Rose was latched onto by Meade but after running forward hit his shot wide of the near post highlighting his lack of confidence as earlier in the season he would have put that chance away.

That let off awakened Sheffield and Hamid curled a shot past the far post and Roney struck his shot also wide.

Browne tried his luck but fired wide after running forward but it was some more indecision from the visiting defence which lead to them conceding a very soft goal - one of many this season.

Ryan Walker had chance to clear the ball up field but for some unknown reason decided to play the ball back to his keeper. Coton's clearance wasn't the best and Egginton also failed to clear the ball which was then sent across to the left to Hamid who in space could move forward before arrowing a shot between Coton and his near post.

You can quite easily understand the manager's frustration and bewilderment as the goals which led to the eventual outcome and Gresley's defeat all came from individual errors and decision making.

Gresley had played the better football over the ninety minutes but it's not fair on the strikers to have to score three or four goals to win a game with the defence being so porous with only Loughborough Dynamo having a worse goals against!