Evo-Stik NPL League East Division
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 29th September 2018, 3.00pm
Gresley Bounce Back
Gresley came back from the midweek drubbing at Carlton to give the reaction manager Gary Norton had hoped for and beat a resolute Frickley Athletic side.
Norton had threatened to make changes and so he did. In the starting line-up he brought in Cameron Steele and Zakim Evans and keeper Ben Allsop who had been recalled from Stapenhill as Jack Livesey was suffering from a back injury picked up at Carlton.
However, he welcomed back his skipper Jamie Barrett who had recovered from a virus which saw him miss the midweek trip. Dexter Morris- Clark is still recovering from a knee injury.
Allsop was tested early on when he had to deal with a shot from Jack Burton followed quickly by a free kick hit by Jacob Hazel which Allsop parried away for a corner.
The early pressure came from the visitors but Gresley took the lead on 18 minutes. A sublime ball from Mark Branch into the stride of Eric Graves saw the midfielder race into the area only to be brought down by goalkeeper Daniel Wallis.
The referee Mr Genders must have thought the penalty was punishment enough and the keeper escaped further punishment. Martin Smyth took the kick sending Wallis the wrong way from the spot. Graves had a chance on 24 minutes but headed Branch’s cross from the right over the bar.
The unfortunate Evans hobbled off the pitch five minutes later with the aid of the physio and coach after suffering what looked like an ankle injury from a robust challenge to be replaced by Steadman.
Both sides had chances as the half came to an end. A shot from Frickley’s James Morris was pushed away by Allsop while at the other end Steele cut in from the right and curled his shot which was held by Wallis.
Gresley almost doubled their lead on 48 minutes when a cross from Alex Steadman was narrowly headed over his own bar by Jamie McGuire. The Moatmen then forced two corners and from the second the ball came out to Lucas Harrison but his rising shot from outside the area sailed over the bar.
Gavin Allott went close to levelling the scored when he managed to scramble into the area but he found Allsop on good form blocking the effort.
On 69 minutes there was another moment of determination that was not seen for the whole game on Wednesday. Steele chased what looked like a lost cause on the right managing to keep the ball in play and after surging forward down the flank put a low cross into the area where Kieran O’Connell steered the ball just the wrong side of the near post.
Smyth was still looking to add to his afternoon’s tally but his shot from outside the area flew wide of the far post.
Frickley were still trying hard to get back into the game with Jonathan Williams putting his free kick wide and a couple of minutes later they had a better chance. Allott did well down the right and put in a cross to Jack Burton but instead of slipping the ball to his left to a team mate perhaps better placed, chose to try and lob the ball home and his effort went well over the bar.
The visitors were pressing hard and it took the timely intervention of Harrison taking the ball off the toe of Allott as he was about to smash Hazel’s cross from the right home from inside the area.
The normally prolific Allott had a half chance with five minutes remaining but steered his shot wide of the wide post.
However, it was Gresley who ended the game going closest. Smyth was the width of a post from doubling his tally when his low shot from 20 yards struck the base of the far post with Wallis static. Substitute Callum Riddell had a sight of goal but his shot when straight into the arms of Wallis.
A much better showing from Gresley than on Wednesday. They were hardworking, chasing the ball when it looked like a lost cause, closing down quickly and defending well and it resulted in a very welcome three points and their first clean sheet of the campaign so far.
