Evo-Stik NPL League Division One South
Shaw Lane, Barnsley
Saturday, 25th February 2017, 3.00pm
Brave Fightback Comes Too Late For Gresley
Gresley mounted a spirited second half fightback against the team who most supporters believe will lift the league title come April.
Just before the hour mark Gresley found themselves four goals down and the travelling faithful were fearing an overwhelming defeat but the visitors heeded manager Damion Beckford-Qualiey's halftime talk and slowly took the game to their big spending hosts scoring three goals, having an effort cleared off the line and forcing the home keeper to make two vital saves.
After a comfortable hour for Shaw Lane and looking every inch the best side in the league with their fast, accurate style of football with their striker Gavin Allott looking dangerous with every attack on a very poor surface, they found themselves under some pressure after Ben Harris had opened the scoring for Gresley.
The game could quite easily have finished six or seven a piece in the end with Shaw Lane certainly knowing they'd been in a tough encounter.
The Gresley manager was forced into changes with Matt Roome suffering a serious hip problem which could see him missing for some considerable time and Josh Egginton suffering an ankle injury which, according to Beckford-Quailey "is looking like a football". Gresley were also without Lucas Harrison who was serving the final game of his two-game suspension for accruing ten yellow cards.
As was expected Shaw Lane started quickly and a swift move from the hosts ended with Alex Bryne hitting the bar with hardly 3 minutes on the clock. More pressure saw Kieron Lugsden heading a cross from the left just over the bar.
On 10 minutes there was a moment of controversy. One of the Ducks' debut signings Simon Lenighan objected to a robust challenge from Dexter Morris-Clarke and proceeded to violently push the player over with a double handed push in the chest. Amazingly, the referee James Price only deemed it a yellow card when surely it warranted a straight red.
A few minutes later Shaw Lane were in front with the first of three very soft goals handed to them by Gresley.
The ball appeared to have gone out of play for a throw in on the far side but the assistant referee said it hadn't which allowed Bryne to collect the ball and dash into the penalty area where Jordan Wakeling brought him down. Allott made no mistake from the spot beating keeper Rob Peet.
Two minutes later Gresley had a good shout for a penalty themselves when Reece Morris was bundled over by the Ducks keeper Jon Stewart as he prepared to shoot but the referee again angered the players and supporters as he not only ignored the appeals but rubbed salt in the wounds by booking Morris for diving!
More pressure on the Gresley defence saw a header from Ben Algar fly just wide of the far post. This was soon followed by the second gifted goal. Peet had come running out of his area to clear the ball but the clearance was a poor one leaving Gary Burnett the easy task of sending the wind assisted shot back into the empty net.
Shaw Lane were much too good to hand them on a plate a two goal lead and soon it was three with the third poor piece of defending. A free kick from the right from Algar picked out Ryan Qualter unmarked and in acres of space on the left and he duly volleyed the ball past Peet and into the far corner.
The second half was only five minutes old when Shaw Lane added their fourth goal of the match when a cross from the right found Spencer Harris and his first time shot sailed through the boggy area and into the bottom corner of the net.
A drubbing looked on the cards but a superbly struck free kick from Ben Harris gave his side a slight glimmer of hope. His tremendous shot flying through the area and past Stewart.
Gresley looked far brighter with Matt Melbourne following up his fine run down the right with a shot just over. Dexter Morris-Clarke was unlucky to see his goal bound effort cleared off the line just a few minutes later.
However, a fast-flowing break saw the Ducks restore their four-goal advantage with Byrne sliding the perfect ball through for Allott to stride forward before beating Peet easily.
To Gresley's credit they didn't allow their heads to drop and were soon back on the attack. Morris left his marker on the right sitting on the ground before racing into the area but smashing his shot just over the bar.
A stinging free kick from the left by substitute Leandro Browne needed to be parried by the keeper and Morris once more fired over the bar.
Morris followed this up with some more good work down the right and his cross from the right was headed on target but Stewart diving to his right managed to push the ball away.
More pressure on the home defence saw a shot from Browne blocked but fellow substitute Alvin Jarvis was alert to the loose ball and he duly smashed the ball into the net.
In a rare attack from the home side in these final minutes of the game saw Allott again one-on-one with Peet but the ball held up in the quagmire of a goalmouth giving Peet the chance to block the effort.
Morris, still causing problems down the right for the hosts, cut in before hitting an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net scoring a deserved goal for his side.
With time running out could the impossible happen? Gresley were still moving forward looking for more goals but their fightback came too late and the Ducks played down the clock for a hard earned three points. If Gresley had played like the final thirty minutes for the whole game and not have handed the hosts three very soft goals perhaps they may have got something out of a tough game.
