Evo-Stik NPL League East
Coach & Horses Ground, Dronfield
Saturday, 15th September 2018, 3.00pm
Sheffield's Steel Too Much For The Moatmen
Any Gresley supporter who made the trip to Dronfield couldn’t argue with this result as Sheffield dominated most of the game with their three front men particularly impressive.
In contrast, whereas Gresley fully deserved points from their previous two games against Carlton and especially at Mansfield, Gresley were lacklustre and struggling to deal with the home pressure and it wasn’t until the last 10 minutes or so that they showed a sign of possibly getting the ball into the net.
Sheffield showed their intent from the start with a poor tackle on Dexter Morris Clarke by Anthony Mackie receiving a yellow card on just 2 minutes, a shot from James Kay having to be punched away by Gresley keeper Jack Livesey and three consecutive corners ending with Julian Lawrence heading the final one narrowly over the bar all within the first 8 minutes!
However, the home side didn’t have long to wait for the goal that had surely been coming. On 14 minutes the impressive former Rotherham striker Marc Newsham fired a low shot which beat Livesey and went in off the far post for his first goal.
Gresley went close to leveling on 24 minutes when Albert Lansdowne hit a superb volley from just outside the area which was cleared off the line with home keeper Ross Durrant beaten.
Kieran O’Connell had the ball in the net but a raised flag for off side denied him. At the other end another of the impressive front line cracked a shot against the bar.
Lansdowne went close again after Lucas Harrison’s free kick found him but this time his fiercely struck shot was parried away by Durrant.
Sheffield’s second goal was a simple one. A cross from the left saw Newsham get in front of his marker before glancing the ball into the net with his head.
More pressure in the second half from Sheffield brought out another good save from Livesey. Newsham went close again moments later putting a headed over the bar from a free kick but the pressure told once more as Newsham claimed his fully deserved hat-trick. Collecting the ball midway in Gresley’s half he made a run down the left before drilling the ball past Livesey.
Sheffield’s fourth goal was a similar affair. This time it was another of their attacking trio Leon Osbourne who completed the rout on 70 minutes. Picking the ball up in midfield and with the Gresley defence standing off him he strode forward before firing past Livesey.
Gresley manager Gary Norton had made two of his changes and on 72 minutes brought on Cameron Steele who injected some pace up front and his side began to show a glimmer of a goal.
Steele made a good run down the right and whipped in a cross into the box where Alex Steadman almost caught out Durrant with a back-heel, but the keeper managed to react and stop the ball from crossing the line. Steadman collected the rebound but this time his effort was cleared off the line.
Steadman got a consolation goal for Gresley on 85 minutes when he beat the Sheffield back line, rounded the keeper and slotted home. Minutes later he had a perfectly good second goal disallowed incorrectly. Steele had made another bursting run into the area with Steadman onside to his left but his shot was deflected off a defender and landed at the feet of Steadman who lashed the ball into the net but the assistant referee decreed Steadman was offside which blatantly he was not!
However, it would not have made any difference to the deserved win for Sheffield but it may have given Steadman some confidence with two tricky games coming up against Gainsborough Trinity on Tuesday and Lincoln next Saturday.
