Match Report  |  Gresley FC vs Tividale

Many of Gresley’s hardy supporters can be forgiven in thinking it’s going to be a long hard season after what they witnessed at the Moat Ground this afternoon unless things improve quickly.

Despite having the better of the second half Gresley could not find the net in open play with their only goal coming curtesy of a 57th minute penalty. Passes were still going astray, the ball given away in dangerous positions and the defending poor especially from set pieces.

Gresley did create chances but could not take them whereas Tividale, whose main tactic was to lump the ball forward when they could, did take the chances handed to them.

Gresley’s manager Gavin Hurren has yet to field the same side for two games running. Today he was without seven players who could be considered as first team choices due to holidays, unavailability and injury. Hardworking Mark Potts was given the striker’s role but was at times denied any chance of a shot on target by not being supplied with the right ball finding himself stranded at times with no support.

Ben Allsop was given the keeper’s role with Dan Crane not available due to family commitments and was soon called upon tipping a well struck shot from Bradley Welding over the bar.

Andrew Westwood responded firing his shot just over the bar from distance followed by Welding once more going close with a shot across the face of Allsop’s goal and wide.

Gresley gifted Tividale on25 minutes when they were robbed of the ball near the halfway line and after making a run down the left Lewis Probert put a low ball across to teammate Darragh Bustin who smashed an unstoppable shot from the edge of the area past the helpless Allsop.

Potts went agonisingly close almost from the re-start but his shot whistled just past the base of the far post.

Gresley had the best chance of the first half to level the proceedings on 35 minutes. Westwood swung in a corner from the left which was met by the head of Albert Lansdowne who managed to put the ball wide of the far post from a great position.

Tividale had the final chance of the first period with Allsop having to push away another good effort by Bustin.

Tividale increased their lead within 9 minutes of the second half starting and another set piece was Gresley’s undoing. A corner from the left by Welding was slipped to another player who then swung in a cross to the far post for Bustin to head home unchallenged.

Gresley got a goal back three minutes later when Potts was brought down in the area with Jordan Fitzpatrick putting the ball past keeper Ryan Cheshire and into the bottom left corner.

The home side sensed they may salvage something from the game but even though Gresley were having the better of the half Tividale were still dangerous on the break with Luke Carter firing straight at Allsop and then Allsop having to push away the dangerous Bustin’s free kick away from the top corner.

Gresley continued to spurn chances and the best of the second half came on 68 minutes when Fitzpatrick’s corner from the left fell at the feet of debutant David Leak but somehow he managed to miss the golden chance from a couple of yards out.
With Gresley pressing to get something out of the game they were caught out by a quick break on 78 minutes which ended with Dan Smith firing wide from the left.

That should have been a warning to Gresley because two minutes later from a similar rapid break, Jake Webb flew down the right before putting in a cross which the unmarked Smith was able to nod home.

Gresley had two more chances at the end of the game but they put a header wide and substitute Devante Reittie shooting marginally wide from the edge of the area.

Gresley were desperately missing their normal strike force of Kane Lee and Paul Sullivan as Potts bravely tried to do all the work up front on his own. Lee has yet to have a scan on his knee and Sullivan, although suffering a groin injury, is away on holiday.