Hinckley Athletic vs Gresley Rovers
Rovers hang on for a point – Mike StJohn – Burton Mail
Defiant Gresley Rovers clutched on dearly to a hard earned Banks’s Brewery West Midlands League point at Hinckley Athletic’s Middlefield Lane, last night.
Gresley survived an almost constant second half barrage as they grimly refused to buckle under the Robins’ relentless assault.
The Moatmen’s Dave Butler was stretchered off after only 12 minute when he received a nasty gash on his left leg, and in an incident –ridden derby match Hinckley’s Tim Bailey and Rovers’ Melvyn Pegg received their marching orders after a scuffle on the hour.
While the game was never a great spectacle it proved that Gresley have the necessary defensive qualities to make even greater headway in the ever-competitive West Midland League this season.
Hinckley had not allowed Gresley a moment’s breathing space before they stunned the visitors with a 15th minute goal.
With David Butler’s premature exit still fresh in their minds Rovers were rocked further when they fell to a wonderfully worked piece of Hinckley magic.
Kelly Ferrar wormed his way into space on the right to centre the ball for Russ Fenton who deftly flicked it along for T. Bailey to clinically fire past Gresley goalkeeper Martin McNamara.
Hinckley sought a second goal but incredibly Rovers survived the onslaught time and time again.
Mark Taylor and Paul Lambert both went desperately close before Gresley’s first real chance presented itself following a poor back pass.
Brian Beresford, the scorer of eight Rovers goals already this term, seized on the opportunity but Chamberlain sped of his line to whisk the ball away.
In the 32nd minute it was McNamara’s turn to emerge as a hero when he also tore away to smother the ball at Ferrar’s feet.
As the Robins pressed for their second goal Gresley suddenly got back on level terms.
McNamara was almost caught out by a low effort from Taylor but made an important diving save to his right, and with the ball safely his, he drop kicked it towards the Hinckley penalty area.
Two bounces later Ian Earley sprung above a committed Chamberlain on the 18-yard line to brilliantly head the ball over the goalkeeper and into an empty net to make it
1–1 with 10 minutes of first half remaining.
It was rather ironic that the Robins should hammer away at the Gresley defence for such a long time, and the Moatmen’s Brian Beresford be given the wonderful opportunity to almost stun the home crowd.
Beresford stormed through the middle on a solo run but Chamberlain read the situation brilliantly to dash of his line.
Hinckley Athletic (1) 1
Gresley Rovers (1) 1
Scorers: Bailey 15 (Hinckley); Earley 35 (Gresley).
Hinckley Athletic: Chamberlain, Canning, Purser, Wilcox, Costello, Lambert, Fenton (Haskins 72), Taylor, Ferrar, Bailey, Hill.
Gresley Rovers: McNamara, Attley, Bromley, Pegg, Dolby, Thompson, Arthur, Earley, Butler (Davies 12), Beresford, Steele.
