Evo-Stik NPL League Division One South
Ashby Avenue, Lincoln
Saturday, 17th February 2018, 3.00pm
Gresley Stumble On The Road
Gresley managed to get another game under their belts, only their second since New Year’s Day due to the enforced break due to the recent awful wet weather and pitch problems at the Moat.
Danny Quinn was missing due to work commitments but there were two recent signings. Pearson Mwanyongo, who has returned to the club after spells at Solihull Moors and Stamford and midfielder Shawn Richards. Mwanyongo was given the start with Richards on the bench.
Gresley started brightly enough but were soon having to weather a storm as the home side pressed forward with Jack Wightwick causing problems down the left. Long high balls were being pumped into the area hoping big striker Ryan Oliver could get on the end of some of them.
The combination of Wightwick and Oliver created the fist chance of the game, but the striker’s header went straight at Gresley keeper Callum Hawkins.
An uncharacteristic slip by Jamie Barrett almost proved dear. After losing his footing on the right a cross was sent into the box to Oliver who somehow managed to blaze his effort over the bar from close in.
United’s Steve Ridley, who had put some ‘strong’ tackles in on the Gresley players was finally and deservedly shown a yellow card on 30 minutes after referee Peter Walker’s patience with him had finally ran out.
Gresley’s first effort came from Sean Phillips but his shot went wide. Reece Morris also fired just wide moments later for the visitors after cutting in from the left and causing United keeper Michael Emery to scramble frantically across his goal.
The visitors’ goal led a charmed life on 44 minutes. A free kick from Matt Scott found Sean Wright who fired a low shot through a crowded Gresley box and incredibly no-one managed to get the vital touch as the ball whistled past the far post.
However, United did managed to get the ball into the net to give them the lead on the stroke of halftime. Some poor defending down the right allowed Rob Norris to cross the ball low into the box where Oliver slid in to push the ball home.
Within a couple of minutes Gresley had a chance to level when Mwanyongo made a fine run down the right but his ball into the box found no touch from a team mate and the chance was gone.
The had an even better chance a couple of minutes later when Morris was bundled over by United keeper and the referee pointed to the spot. Phillips took the kick, but it was weak giving Emery an easy save - the follow up was blocked.
Gresley continued to press forward with Matt Melbourne heading over Oliver Bassett’s free kick. Melbourne went close again drilling a shot from Phillips’ cross wide of the upright.
United should have doubled their lead on the hour but did so from the resultant corner. A ball from the left picked out a United player who then found himself with only Hawkins to beat from close in but Josh Eggington managed to get back quickly to make the block on the line, but, from the flag kick some poor defending allowed Oliver to rise easily at the far post to head home.
Hawkins needed to be alert on 66 minutes. Barrett was harshly adjudged to have handled the ball a couple of yards outside the eighteen-yard box. The young keeper lined up his wall but still had to make a good save as the ball looked to be heading into the far corner of the net.
Courtney Meade, who had replaced Jon Stevenson, managed to get on the end of Mwanyongo’s cross but his header was comfortably held by Emery.
United wasted another golden chance when substitute Kallum Smith, only a few yards out, smashed his shot wide.
Gresley substitute Richards went to reducing the deficit with only minutes remaining but his well struck shot from the left flew into the side netting.
Gresley played well in spells but it was evident that their lack of regular games forced on them by the postponements didn’t help their performance as many of them were only firing on three cylinders but hopefully a spell of dry weather will remedy that and that they can start to build a run of results to help them climb out of the danger area. However, they have a huge test in their next game as runaway leaders Basford come to the Moat, weather permitting of course.
