Match Report  |  Alvechurch vs Gresley FC

Gresley managed to play a game of football for the first time in nearly three weeks and only the fifth game this year.

Some hard work from the home ground staff enabled the match to go ahead but although the pitch was heavy it was playable.

Gresley started with the same eleven which beat Basford in their last game but were soon coming under pressure from Alvechurch with the lively Yusifu Ceesay flashing a ball across the face of the visitors’ goal which only needed a touch to give the them lead but none was forthcoming.

The pressure was relentless in the early minutes with Aaron Lloyd having a good chance to open the scoring but could only fire well wide.

However, it wasn’t long before Alvechurch took the lead. Some poor defending saw Luke Yates take advantage of a slip and drove forward before slotting the ball past Gresley keeper Callum Hawkins.

Hawkins kept his side in the game with the first of some outstanding save palming a powerful close range header from Dave Bellis away to his left.

Gresley began to find their feet and forced three consecutive corners the first as a result of Oliver Bassett’s goal bound show being deflected.

Hawkins once more made a fine save holding onto a well struck low shot. The first half ended with an Alvechurch header going just over the bar from a corner.

The second half began with Alvechurch almost grabbing a second goal with just a minute on the clock. Jamie Ashmore made a fine run through the Gresley defence but Hawkins was on hand to make another top save from Ashmore’s stinging low shot. The home side went close again with a shot from the left going into the side netting.

Hawkins was on top of his game managing to stretch up to tip a well struck shot from distance over the bar.

The pressure from the well disciplined promotion chasers was relentless but this time it was Matt Roome who somehow managed to hook the ball off the line and amazingly into the arms of Hawkins. Man-of-the-match Hawkins again showed his quality pushing Lloyds shot away past the far post.

Gresley drew level with a fortunate goal somewhat against the run of play. Shawn Richards, who had replaced Pearson Mwanyongo, made a good run down the left and fired in a cross into the box which Lloyd could only steer into his own net at the far post.

Alvechurch almost regained the lead immediately with Ceesay’s cross from the right finding Josh March who put the ball over the bar from close in when sticking it in the net would have been easier.

Gresley looked as if they could hang on and take an unlikely point back to South Derbyshire but with the Moatmen beginning to flag and looking heavy legged they conceded a very late goal.

With just a minute of normal time remaining a ball came out to Ryan Winwood who struck a low shot from distance which flew through a crowded area and although Hawkins got down well the ball took a nasty bounce and glanced off the unfortunate keepers’ head and flew into the net. Hawkins prevented the home side from increasing their lead by making another superb block.

Alvechurch were well worth the three points but a dogged performance from Gresley earned them a deserved round of applause, as the players left the pitch, from the Gresley faithful who had made the trip to Lye Meadow.

Gresley must now try to recover quickly before making the trip to Corby for another testing game on Saturday.