Rushall Olympic vs Gresley Rovers
Rovers on the march again – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Runaway Rovers didn’t just thrash Rushall; they dismantled them piece-by-piece with a complete and impressive team performance.
So complete was the mighty Moatmen’s dominance that in the end it was the West Midland’s mud rather than Olympic’s bewildered back four that prevented a cricket score.
Clive Arthur grabbed four goals and Brian Beresford three to take Gresley’s tally for their last three away games to an astonishing 20 goals.
But so frequently did Rovers’ blue tide was over the wreck of Olympic in the second half that the scoreline could have been doubled.
If there were any Football League scouts checking the form of Moat ‘keeper Karl Austin they’ll just have to try again – the big man was spectator for most of the game and had just three saves to make as Rushall sought vainly for some sort of consolation.
Gresley were presented with a sixth minute lead by a bungling home defence.
There looked no danger as Alan Dawson took a throw on the left. But when defender David Grundy tried to guide a back pass to Nigel Towel the mud intervened and with the keeper desperately trying to keep his feet Beresford nipped into control the ball as it rebounded from the foot of a post and turn it across the line.
Rushall battled to get back on terms but the seventh-placed side were subdued by Gresley’s eagerness and aggression in midfield and cool dominance at the back.
Clive Arthur grabbed number two in 41 minutes after Beresford had been bundled over in the box by Ray.
Towel became the first goalkeeper this season to stop one of Arthur’s penalties but the former Albion man was first to the rebound and forced the ball over the line.
Two minutes later Arthur scored the goal of the game when he met John Laws’ superb right wing cross with a twisting header that looped over Towel.
Rushall were truly rattled and Beresford underlined the ease with which their defence could be unlocked when he moved to clear onto Ian Earley’s through ball to beat Towel for number four on the stroke of half time.
With the slope and wind in their favour after the break Rushall sought desperately for a way back and full back Paul Slater headed over in the first minute.
Both Gresley’s scorers had chances to complete their hat tricks but Arthur whipped a shot just over and Beresford brought a diving save from Towel with another header.
Still the chances came and went and Beresford twice and Dave King all went within a whisker of further goals before Beresford completed his hat trick in 71 minutes.
Ironically the goal came from Rushall’s first corner of the game. Laws swept a clearance upfield, Arthur sent Banton away on the right and Beresford converted the cross from close in.
More chances got stuck in the mud before Arthur got his third on 84 minutes. Again Rushall were caught on the break from a corner and this time Beresford turned provider, finding his colleague in acres of goal area space.
Beresford did all the work for Gresley’s finale bursting through the tatters of Rushall’s defence and destroying centre half Mark Bowater before Arthur came rushing in to blast Rovers seventh heaven.
Austin had been largely unemployed but with the game in injury time he denied Rushall a consolation goal by stretching to tip over Steve McGuigan’s swirling effort over the bar.
Rushall Olympic (0) 0
Gresley Rovers (4) 7
Scorers: Beresford 6, 45, 71: Arthur 41, 43, 84, 88 (Gresley Rovers).
Rushall Olympic: Towel, Slater, Dawson, Grundy, Bowater, Horne, Ray, Harpur, McGuigan, Kelly, Grant. Sub: Morris.
Gresley Rovers: Austin, Attley, Earley, West, Dolby, King, Arthur, Laws, Philpott(Banton 45), Beresford, Bromley.
Referee: M J Brandwood (Stoke).
Attendance: 150
