Match Report  |  Graham Street Prims vs Gresley FC

With just three pre-season games remaining including this one, Gresley manager Gary Norton was still without several senior players but saw the return of Dominic Allen and Alex Steadman. However, Norton gave Lucas Harrison and Dexter Morris-Clarke the night off following their inclusion in many of the previous games.

Prims started brightly in a proverbial game of two halves with Brad Scard’s lob flying just over the bar, but it was Gresley who struck first on 12 minutes. Awarded a free kick 22 yards out Allen scored his first goal for the club when he struck a superb ball which beat home keeper Andy Fretwell despite him getting a faint touch on the ball.

Prims still pressed forward and went close five minutes later with Jordan Lee firing a free kick narrowly wide.

Unfortunately, Gresley handed their hosts an equaliser on 18 minutes. A pass back to keeper Ben Allsop was a little short and Allsop tried to control the ball but his second touch put the ball at the feet of Brad Scard who had the simple task of stroking the ball into the unguarded net.

Gresley regained the lead within two minutes. A superb corner from the right by Brad Payne cleared the keeper and his defender and Jake McIntosh met the ball sweetly at the far post to tap home his first senior goal for the club.

Seven minutes later Gresley extended their advantage. A delightful ball through the Prims defence by Luke Morgan saw Steadman race forward before slipping the ball past the advancing Fretwell.

Gresley almost handed Prims a second goal when a slip from the defence provided Lee another chance but his low shot was deflected away for a corner.

There were many changes for both sides in the second half and the game became scrappy. Mitchell White was unlucky not to have grabbed his first senior goal with his first attempt going just wide and then connecting cleanly with Connor Ward’s corner only to see his effort cleared off the line.

The game fizzled out for the final ten minutes or so but Prims were a shade unlucky not to have made the final two minutes interesting when a corner from the left by Lee was volleyed superbly only to see the ball come back off the bar.

It was a useful work-out for both sides but also a frustrating one for Norton who is yet to field his full strength side with friendly games running out quickly.