Evo-Stik South
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 21st April 2018, 3.00pm
A Tired Gresley Are Knocked For Six
The games coming in rapid succession looked to have taken their toll as a leg weary Gresley side were overwhelmed in the second half.
On a warm humid afternoon Gresley got the best start when they took the lead after just 4 minutes. A corner from the left by Tom Manship found Danny Quinn unmarked in the middle of the box and he rose to head home.
Frickley, who have hopes of finishing in the top two for automatic promotion, were expected to come at Gresley and they began to take the game to the Moatmen with Jameel Ible directing a header straight at home keeper Callum Hawkins.
On 16 minutes the visitors were back on terms but they did not score it. Jamie Barrett, who was making his 400th appearance for the club, tried in vain to clear a ball into the box only top loop his header over the stranded Hawkins.
Pearson Mwanyongo went close steering his shot just wide of the near post followed by Quinn chasing the ball down the middle but keeper Jake Turner, raced off his line to block the ball.
On 36 minutes Manship was a tad fortunate to remain on the pitch as he almost rugby tackled a rampaging forward on the halfway line perhaps too far out for a red but not for a yellow card!
Gresley were close to going in for the break in the lead as a shot from the left by Reece Morris appeared to skim the far end of the bar.
A few minutes into the second half Frickley made a change bringing on one of their danger men Gavin Allott who has the habit of scoring for fun. His appearance made an immediate impact making full use of the rapidly tiring Gresley lads.
On 58 minutes, Allott was soon testing Hawkins but the keeper was up to the challenge by tipping a well struck effort over the bar.
Frickley’s second goal was a bizarre affair. A cross from the left was blocked and fell to Allott sitting on the floor and somehow, he managed to get a foot to the ball to knock it into the net.
The prolific goal scorer notched goal number two when he was left unmarked to head a cross from the left past the helpless Hawkins.
Goal number four came two minutes later. Gresley failed to clear the ball from their area and Daniel Burns took his chance by firing into the net.
It wasn’t to be a day of celebration for the Gresley skipper as he gave Frickley their fifth goal on 75 minutes when he clumsily brought down Nicky Darker in the area. Allott completed his hat-trick by sending Hawkins the wrong way from the spot.
Once again Morris skimmed the bar with a well struck shot and a couple of minutes later Frickley almost handed Gresley a goal. A very wayward back pass caught out Turner but before the ball could fully cross the line he managed to race back to hook it off the line.
Frickley’s final and sixth goal of the game came on 90 minutes and as a result of some tired legs. The ball was missed by a defender as it headed to Jacob Hazel on the left and his cross was perfect leaving Allott to head home.
It was a brave effort by the visibly tired Gresley team but with the news that manager Damion Beckford-Quailey had stepped down, who temporary manager Gary Norton can rally to play next Monday, Wednesday and Saturday is anyone’s guess after some if not most of today’s players indicated that they too had probably played their final game for the club.
