Pre-Season Friendly
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Tuesday, 8th August 2017, 7.30pm
Gresley Finish With A Win
Gresley finished their pre-season with a win at the Moat Ground against Evo-Stik Premier side Barwell. With players away home manager Damion Beckford-Quailey made changes with a start given to Reserve team defender James Hemmingway. Fellow reserve teamer Harry Hughes was given a place on the bench.
Two new signings Jason Law and Louis Danquah, both youth loans from Mansfield Town, were also named in the starting eleven. Back in goal for the first half was recent signing Brendan Bunn.
On a wet and cold evening, Gresley made the perfect start taking the lead on 5 minutes. Danquah made a good run down the left and put a low cross into the box which was smashed into the net by a trialist.
Barwell went close to getting back on terms five minutes later but former Moatman Courtney Meade flashed his shot across the face of Bunn's goal.
Gresley doubled their lead on 15 minutes from a well struck free kick. A foul on the edge of the 18-yard box was converted by Sean Philips whose perfectly placed shot found the top near corner with visiting keeper Liam Castle well beaten.
Barwell's Owen Story had two glorious opportunities to at least claw one goal back before halftime. First, he blazed a shot over the bar from a good position but his second chance was well saved by Bunn as Story ran through in on goal.
Both sides made chances at the break and it was Barwell who made the first chance of the second half but Nigel Julien's low strike was well saved by Bunn. It was then the turn of Gresley to carve out a chance with Ash Day having his shot at the near post saved by substitute keeper Max Smith-Varnam.
Barwell were having more of the ball but were failing to get the better of the home defence. A long range low shot from Ryan Robbins was comfortably dealt with by Gresley substitute keeper Rob Peet while at the other end fellow substitute Harry Hughes burst into the area but his show went wide of the near post.
Robbins had the last chance of the night hitting a shot on the turn wide of the post.
