Evo-Stik NPL League Division One South
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 18th February 2017, 3.00pm
Woeful Gresley Are Beaten Again
There is a saying that losing can be a habit. If this is true, then Gresley have very bad habits indeed in the league as they suffered another humiliating defeat at the Moat Ground and their third consecutive game without finding the back of the net.
Gresley must now take a glance over their shoulders at the chasing pack all trying to avoid the dreaded drop. Luckily for Gresley only their opponents won today. If the results had gone the other way, then Gresley would have been in deep trouble after today's dismal display.
Nantwich, not the best team to have visited the Moat so far this season, at least did the basics well and all though they only managed two attempts on goal they took both even though one of them was a soft penalty handed to them by the home defence.
As most supporters know, today's visitors are in administration and have had 10 points deducted stranding them at the bottom of the league but if they continue to pick up points as they did today they will certain put those teams above them under pressure including Gresley.
Unfortunately, many of the home players didn't look interested prompting the angry and disappointed manager Damion Beckford-Quailey to apologise to all those who had paid to come into the game this afternoon.
Beckford-Quailey's team selection was not helped by some absentees. Lucas Harrison was serving the first of his two match ban for reaching ten yellow cards and Dexter Morris-Clarke was suffering an ankle injury. Add to that Tom Manship and Laithan Hammond both not recovered from injury and Alvin Jarvis recalled after a long spell due to injury. On the bench was recent signing from Barwell 18 year-old Sam Grouse and young defender Leandro Cobas-Ladrero.
Gresley started brightly after an early scare seeing Yaw Gyimah firing just wide. Reece Morris made a good run and his cross was met by Matt Melbourne but his effort flew wide.
On 15 minutes another good run down the left by Morris ended with visiting keeper Dylan Forth having to parry away a good shot. Ben Harris then fired wide.
Northwich took the lead with their first attempt on target. A cross from the right was met by John Bennett at the far post. His header seemed to be held by Peet but somehow the ball ended up in the back of the net!
Beckford-Quailey made a change at the break replacing Keenan King with Grouse as he looked for more positivity up front and the youngster was not afraid to try his luck but his attempt flew wide.
Northwich began to look far more dangerous going forward and they went close to doubling their advantage when David Short got the better of Jordan Wakeling and seeing Peet off his line lobbed the keeper only to see the ball bounce off the cross bar.
However, they didn't have long to wait. Stuart McDonald made a dash into the area and a clumsy challenge from Ryan Walker gave the referee no option but to award a penalty. Short sent Peet the wrong way to extend the visitors' lead with only their second attempt on target.
As in recent games Gresley at last started to go forward with some urgency. Morris brought out a good save from Dylan Forth with a low shot but still they were authors of their own downfall. This time however, they were spared their blushes by Peet. Matt Roome's mistake gave Godwin Abadaki the opportunity to race down the left. Peet was coming forward and the winger curled his shot goalwards towards the bottom far corner but the toe of Peet's boot knocked it wide for a corner.
Morris went close again with a charge down the right and his shot was blocked at the near post by Forth with a section of the crowd thinking the ball had gone in the net.
Grouse then headed Morris's cross but Forth was on hand to hold the ball. Jarvis, who had replaced Leandro Browne was causing some discomfort in the visiting defence but his header at the far post from Roome's cross was easily held by Forth.
Grouse had the last chance of note but put his shot from distance just over the bar.
If Gresley could have the urgency and determination for the whole 90 minutes rather than the final 15 or so, perhaps they could halt this dismal run they are on. However, their next match subject to the weather of course, is a trip to Shaw Lane who so far have been easily the best side Gresley have played this season so the task could not be more difficult. Every player will need to give 100 percent if they are to hope for something out of that game.
