Match Report  |  Chasetown vs Gresley FC

Those who made the short journey to Chasetown would know that the score does not entirely represent the sort of match it was.

Indeed, Gresley could have gone in for the break at least a couple of goals to the good as post, bar and keeper denied them the goals.

The first half saw a much improved performance for the visitors but again the Jekyll and Hyde nature of this team saw a performance which was unrecognisable in the second.

Changes to the Gresley team was again evident with Courtney Meade working, Tom Manship injured and Sean Phillips on holiday. Brendan Bunn was preferred in goal.

Gresley could have been behind in the first couple of minutes when a run down the right by Chris Baker ended with a frantic few seconds where somehow the ball managed to stay out of the goal.

The visitors settled and were soon threatening at the other end. Reece Morris got on the end of Jason Law's corner and fired a shot which home keeper Curtis Pond managed to block at the post but the rebound from Jamie Barrett was also blocked.

Josh Egginton fired over a superb diagonal cross from the left to Jon Stevenson on the right of the area and after taking a touch hit his shot straight at Pond. A long high ball from Barrett was then headed wide by the diving Matt Melbourne.

Seconds later a good run by Morris down the right then picked out Melbourne who held the ball up brilliantly and laid it back for Mansfield Town Youth loanee Jason Law who was unlucky to see his well struck shot come back off the post with Pond beaten. The follow up was blocked.

On 23 minutes Gresley was forced into a change with the injured Morris Dexter-Clarke being replaced by Ash Day.

Gresley continued to press and they went close again when Morris found Law but again he was denied a goal by a good save from Pond diving full length to his right.

A rare charge forward by Chasetown saw them go close when Baker flashed a shot across the face of Bunn's goal.

It was then the visitors turn to go close and this attempt was even closer! Law picked out fellow Mansfield loanee Louis Danquah whose shot crashed back off the bar.

Chasetown's turn now in this end to end match with Muzi Nduna racing onto a through ball one on one with the keeper but Bunn came out and standing tall made a superb block to deny the home side from taking the lead. Bunn was needed again on 34 minutes when made a fine block at his near post.

The Scholars took the lead on 36 minutes against the run of play but it was a good goal. Some quick inter player ended with Baker slipping the ball through for William Wheildon to run onto before slipping the ball past the advancing Bunn.

Where the first half Gresley side disappeared to in the second is anyone's guess as they hardly put Chasetown under any prolonged pressure and when they did they seemed to try and dribble the ball into the net rather than testing the keeper.

Gresley looked every inch a side lacking confidence and if it wasn't for Bunn blocking well at his near post they could easily have slipped further behind with a minute on the clock.

Another enforced change came on 53 minutes for the visitors when Danquah was replaced by Ryan King with what looked like a thigh injury.

The changed seemed to unsettle Gresley even more and they found themselves two down four minutes later when Jamie Barrett bundled Carter down in the area. Josh Craddock sent Bunn the wrong way to double their lead.

Four minutes later it went from bad to worse for Gresley when a cross from home substitute Nkasi Mzunguana flew into the area and Nduna raced in to blast home.

Bunn made another top save to palm away Whieldon's free kick which was heading into the top left corner but as we've witnessed before on numerous occasions Gresley were the authors of their own downfall. Egginton was robbed of the ball as he tried to get the ball out of the corner and Carter ran into the area and his low shot managed to creep into the net giving the score line an unjust look about it.

Melbourne had one last chance for the visitors but his shot was blocked about 2 yards out.

Gresley have got to learn to play for 90 minutes and not for 45 as they did today. Perhaps on another day those first half chances would have gone in and the game may have had a different outcome. When you lack confidence those chances seem to elude you but they will have a chance on Monday to get their season going when Belper are the visitors in what will be a difficult local Derby for both sides.