Match Report  |  Gresley FC vs Basford United

Gresley’s groundsmen’s hard work over the last couple of weeks at the Moat Ground paid off as the Moatmen pulled off an incredible win over big spending, runner-way league leaders Basford United. There has been just one other side to beat United so far this season and they are Gresley’s opponents next week, Stamford. However, Gresley went one better as they had already claimed a point at Basford back in October.

Basford arrived at the Moat trying or perhaps expecting to gain three points from a side at the bottom of the league, a massive 53 points in front of their hosts. But, they were to face a side with grit and determination and who, in the end, deserved their precious three points.

New signing, defender Mark Branch, took a seat on the bench alongside Reece Morris, Courtney Meade, Sean Phillips and Shawn Richards. Danny Quinn returned up front after missing last week’s game at Lincoln due to work commitments.

As was expected the visitors made all the early running with a shot straight at keeper Callum Hawkins from Liam Hearn.

The next 20 minutes or so was disrupted by referee Mr Watson who seemed to be blowing his whistle every few minutes for what seemed to be innocuous niggly tackles. The football was stop and start and it was soon irritating the supporters of both sides.

However, one of the fouls resulted in a yellow card for the visitors on 11 minutes which was to have serious implications for Basford later in the half.

Gresley had the best chance of the first half on 36 minutes when Matt Melbourne beat the offside trap but the advancing former Moatman keeper Saul Deeney forced the Gresley man into hurrying his shot and the weak shot was cleared off the line.

With the first half almost at an end Quinn made a run down the left only to be brought down inches outside the area by Kieran Fenton. For his trouble Fenton was given a yellow card but as he was the one who had fouled Hawkins earlier Mr Watson had no alternative but brandish the red card. The resulting free kick was off target and the referee ended the half.

Basford came out for the second half pressing and it was only a couple of minutes in when Hearn flashed a low shot from the left across Hawkins’ far post and to be honest that was the closest Basford went for the rest of the half giving Hawkins one of the quietest games with routine gathers and shots from distance which the youngster dealt with easily.

Gresley began to put the visitors under pressure forcing two consecutive corners. Just after the hour mark Melbourne had his shot from the left blocked and the rebound came out to Pearson Mwanyongo who turned inside before unleashing a low shot which came off the base of the far post with Deeney beaten and then clipped the opposite post somehow keeping the ball out of the net.

Oliver Bassett, who had been causing Basford all sorts of problems, fired a stinging shot which Deeney managed to parry.

Basford did apply some pressure forcing corners and having a shot deflected for yet another corner which Gresley dealt with.

With 5 minutes remaining of normal time Gresley took the lead. Melbourne made a fine run down the right and squared the ball across into Quinn’s path who then fired the ball home from the centre of the goal.

Gresley went close to adding another just 4 minutes later. Running into the right corner he was pursued by two defenders and he managed somehow to shrug off their attention close to the bye line. He then raced forward and smashed a shot which Deeney did well to push over the bar.

A small gimmer of hope for the visitors came deep into time added on as a result of the whistle blowing referee who again penalised Gresley this time 22 yards from their goal but Matt Thornhill blasted their last chance well over the bar.

This was a well earned and well deserved win over the champions elect for Gresley but they now need to build on this victory in the next few difficult games to come as they’ve shown that they do have what is needed to climb well away from the foot of the table.