Armitage vs Gresley Rovers
Pieces of eight – Rex Page – Burton Mail
Gresley scaled spectacular new heights of attacking brilliance with a ruthless demolition of ailing Armitage at King’s Bromley Road on Saturday.
Rampant Rovers capitalised unmercilessly on a howling gale and feeble opposition to bring a warm glow of pride to the hearts of their supporters on a spitefully cold afternoon.
In the process, Gresley smashed a club record they probably thought would not be bettered.
It was their best win in 11 years of West Midlands League football, improving on the 8–2 Moat Ground success against Hednesford Town three seasons ago.
And it was by far and away their biggest win on opposing territory since they recorded a similar score at Ashbourne Town in the East Midlands League almost 18 years ago.
Destroyer-in-chief was leading scorer Brian Beresford who celebrated his return to the side after illness by plundering four goals to take his tally for the season to an impressive 24.
Far more impressive than the accuracy of Beresford’s finishing, however, was the manner in which Frank Northwood’s reshaped side confirmed it is being welded into a highly effective unit.
It was, quite simple, a complete team performance that left poor Armitage battered and bewildered.
Yet victory did not always promise to come so easily or by such magnitude and, surprising as it might seem, Gresley’s irresistible attacking play had been reinforced by three saves of the highest quality by Karl Austin, two of them coming at critical phases of the game.
Strangely, there was unease among the Gresley contingent in the opening stages as Armitage battled grimly against the wind and also occasionally threatened to snatch a goal against the run of play.
By the time the game was ten minutes old Armitage keeper Martin Conneally had earned his wage packet, saving superbly from first Beresford and then Dave King.
And Gresley were also thwarted when Brian Attley’s sizzling low drive was blocked on the line after Beresford and Clive Arthur had sliced open the defence.
There was a hint of anxiety about Rovers’ play, however, and Austin had to make his first vital contribution in the 25th minute when he clutched a low shot from Andy Griffiths after a mistake by Mark Bromley had threatened to present the home side with an unexpected lead.
But the deserved breakthrough rightly came Gresley’s way five minutes later. Glen West’s superb lofted pass out of defence was flicked on by Reg Priest and Beresford was bundled over by Conneally as he raced otherwise unchallenged into the area.
The referee unhesitatingly awarded a penalty which Clive Arthur rammed into the roof of the net – his eighth successive spot kick conversion.
Rovers struck again two minutes later when Arthur’s corner was headed on by Priest, leaving Beresford with a simple chance at the far post.
Austin produced a breathtaking one-handed save to turn a powerful header from Dave Keen round a post, but the Gresley goal avalanche was in full flow in the 40th minute when Beresford waltzed round Conneally with consummate ease after West and Priest had again combined to exploit a gaping hole in the Armitage defence.
Gresley’s fears that the wind might blow them off course after the break failed to materialise. If anything it got easier for them as they cruelly stripped their hosts of all self-respect.
Priest thrashed in the fourth from Beresford’s low cross on the hour and the goal spree was punctuated only by another astonishing save by Austin.
Attley and the impressive John Laws set up Beresford’s hat trick in the 67th minute and Priest’s endeavours were further rewarded when he dived full-length to head King’s left-wing cross beyond the despairing arms of Conneally.
Laws held off a challenge from Dave Hughes to make it 7–0 and Armitage’s ordeal was finally brought to a painful end when Beresford stroked in Arthur’s cross
Armitage (0) 0
Gresley Rovers (3) 8
Scorers: Arthur 30 (pen): Beresford 32, 40, 67, ? : Priest 60, 70: Laws ?
Gresley Rovers: Austin, Attley, Earley, West, Dolby, King, Arthur, Laws, Priest, Beresford, Bromley. Sub Philpott.
Referee: W T Ellis (Wednesfield).
