Evo-Stik NPL League Division One South
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Tuesday, 21st August 2018, 3.00pm
Gresley Get Off The Mark
Well, anyone who visited the Moat for this game got their money’s worth!
Two-none up after 19 minutes Gresley found themselves pulled back to two-all after 29 minutes. The visitors took the lead just before the hour mark and Gresley levelled six minutes later with both sides having chances to take all three points in the end.
Gresley manager Gary Norton was able to name Kieran O’Connell in his starting line-up but Kane Lee failed a fitness test due to a dead leg.
The home side started well in front of one of the best Tuesday night crowds seen at the Moat for a quite few season’s and they soon saw Gresley take the lead.
A run down the right by Martin Smyth ended with a low cross into the are and Eric Graves was able to steer the ball past visiting keeper Jordan Greaves and int the bottom far corner of the net.
Things got even better when the unfortunate Bradley Beatson put the ball, from Matt Roome’s cross from the right, into his own net at the near post.
Steels got a goal back on 25 minutes when Dexter Morris-Clarke brought Tyler Williams down in the area with Scott Ruthven converting the subsequent spot kick.
It took only four further minutes for the visitors to level the proceedings. A move down the left ended with a ball over to Ruthven on the right and noticing the young Gresley keeper, Jack Livesey, well off his line and deftly looped a header over the youngster’s head and into the net.
Gresley were inches from re-taking the lead on 34 minutes. Morris-Clarke burst through the middle and unleashed a cracker of a shot which beat Greaves but not the post with the ball coming back into play. Lucas Harrison was quick to react and smashed the loose ball goal-ward, but Graves had recovered well to make a fine block at his near post.
The first half continued with end to end action and it was Steels turn to go close.
A corner from the right by Kurtis Turner found Beatson in acres of space at the far post but his well struck shot was well blocked by Livesey.
Seconds later a shot from Tyler Williams was cleared off the line as the visitors finished the first half strongly with Alex Wiles firing a shot just wide of the post.
Within two minutes of the start of the second half Harrison tested Greaves. A low shot saw the Steels stopper get the faintest of touches to steer the thunderbolt of an effort against the base of his post and away for a corner.
Livesey was called upon, blocking Wiles’ shot but he couldn’t prevent the visitors from taking the lead on 59 minutes. A ball from the left flew over to the right side of Gresley’s area and it was then returned in front of goal where the unfortunate Jamie Barrett bundled it into the net as he tried to clear the danger.
A combination of second half substitute Albert Lansdowne, on for Alex Steadman, and O’Connell brought the smiles back to the Gresley faithful just seven minutes later. Lansdowne after making a run down the right put over a delicious cross for O’Connell to rise in the box to head home past Graves.
O’Connell went agonisingly close to putting his side back in front four minutes later. Having collected the ball with his back to goal he turned his marker and curled one of his trade mark low shots which whistled inches past the foot of the far post with Greaves helpless.
There was still enough time left in the game to leave both sets of supporters with their hearts in their mouths as both sides went close to grabbing a late winner which in all honesty, would have been unfair for either side.
Arguably, the visitors had the better of the final chances. A slip by a defender saw the ball come out to the unmarked Williams in the 6-yard box with only Livesey to beat but again the young stopper stood up strong and made an excellent block to deny Steels their win.
Gresley did go close themselves to grabbing all three points in time added on. Substitute Zaki Evans, who had replaced Harrison, collected the ball on the left ran forward before firing a low shot from distance which fizzed across the face of Greaves’ goal but just the wrong side of the far post.
Adient, who had been guests of the club, voted Dexter Morris-Clarke as man-of-the-match and I’m sure no-one present could argue otherwise.
