Evo-Stik South
Peterborough Sports & Leisure Club, Lincoln Road, Peterborough,
Saturday, 30th September 2017, 3.00pm
Gresley Battle For A Point
Peterborough Sports have rarely dropped points at home for some time but they had to concede one to Gresley who battled hard and fully deserved their share of the spoils.
Gresley manager Damion Beckford-Quailey brought two new faces into the starting eleven with Max Smith Varnam, signed from Barwell, given the keeper's slot and Jerimiah Dasaolu, who is on a short-term loan from Grantham Town, the striker's role. Jamie Barrett returned in defence after missing last Saturday's game.
The visitors started well forcing an early corner but it was Peterborough who had the first chance with a long-range shot bringing out a fine save from the debutant keeper diving to his left to push the ball away.
Gresley opened the scoring on 10 minutes. Matt Melbourne slipped the ball to his left to Louis Danquah. The young winger raced down the flank and struck a good shot across the home keeper Aaron Butcher and into the far bottom corner of the net.
On 25 minutes Danquah almost return the favour as his cross from the left was met by Melbourne but his shot was well blocked by Butcher at his far post. Melbourne tried again when he cut in from the left but fired his shot narrowly over the bar.
Peterborough levelled on 39 minutes from a free kick. Liam Marshall took full advantage of the referee sorting out the Gresley defenders. Noticing that referee wasn't looking Marshall moved the ball a yard or so further in. He then picked the ball up and tested the pressure before putting the ball down a couple of yards further in again. Once more while the referee was busy Marshall picked up the ball and tested the pressure yet again and then placed the ball a yard or so further in giving him a much better angle to strike the ball from and it proved successful as he curled the ball over the wall and into the net despite Smith-Varnam getting a hand to the ball. Why the assistant referee nearest the offence allowed the ball to be blatantly moved so far is anyone's guess!
Gresley went close to regaining the lead on the stroke of half-time. Awarded a free kick on the edge of the area Lucas Harrison struck a tremendous shot that came back off the Butcher's chest but unfortunately not to a Gresley player.
Within a minute of the second half starting Gresley went close again but Dasaolu's flicked header from Harrison's cross from the left sailed past the wrong side of far post.
After receiving quite a dressing down from their manager at the break Sports began to get more into the game with Jordan McCleod firing wide of the near post and a couple of minutes later the same player was put through in on goal but a superb save from Smith-Varnam denied him.
Sports were still applying pressure and yet another fine save by the visiting keeper at his far post denied the impressive Josh Moreman from giving his side the lead.
Gresley went close themselves from taking the lead from a free kick taken by Harrison. The ball bounced around the box and Barrett managed to get a toe on the ball but his effort was blocked on the line.
Reece Morris and his team mates were left fuming when Morris was clearly brought down just inside the area only for referee Mr Chalkley to ignore their pleas.
Sports were handed another free kick in a dangerous position but this time the referee made Marshall take it from the correct place as the player tried the same trick as he'd done in the first half. This time Smith-Varnam made a comfortable save.
The work rate and determination produced at least a point whereas a couple of weeks ago Gresley would have certainly lost this game. Let's hope it's a start of the improvement in the league table we all want to see.
