Match Report  |  Gresley FC vs Mickleover Sports

Gresley played their second pre-season friendly and their first at the Moat Ground and finished with a three-one win over Mickleover Sports.

Both sides made changes as is the custom for these early games and it was the visitors who had the first chance with Alex Brown firing just past the far post.

Gresley's first chance came when Tom Manship whipped a free kick into the box but Alvin Jarvis headed wide if the far post.

Matt Melbourne went close firing a shot across the face of the goal from the right. Gresley then saw a shot fly over the bar.

The Moatmen took the lead on the half hour mark with a long ball which caught Sports' defence out and new signing Ash Day kept his cool to lift the ball over the advancing keeper and into the net.

They doubled their advantage on the stroke of half time when Manship's free kick from the left was headed back across the goal to Jarvis who duly head home.

Sports went close within five minutes of the start of the second half. Adam Baskerville did well to get a shot in at the far post and the Gresley trialist goalkeeper managed to grab the ball before it crossed the line.

The visitors didn't have long to wait to reduce the deficit when a cross from left was headed home from the centre of the box.

Gresley reacted almost immediately with Jarvis's shot blocked on the edge of the area and the rebound from Tom Manship held by the Sports keeper under the bar.

Sports were now having the better of the game and they went close again when a cross from the left saw a flicked headed come back off the far post.

Gresley regained their two goal margin with a fine move. The hard-working Melbourne made his way down the right before laying the ball into the area where a trialist hit a good shot to beat the keeper.

With just a couple of minutes remaining Sports went close to reducing the deficit again with John McGrath hitting a cracking shot but the Gresley keeper was up to the task and made a fine save to deny him.