Midland Football League Premier Division
Lowfields, Hawton Lane, Balderton, Newark
Tuesday, 20th August 2019, 7.45pm
Late Goal Agony For Gresley
It was 94th minute heartbreak for Gresley as they were within a couple of minutes away from grabbing a point off their big spending opponents.
Newark’s nickname is the highway men and they lived up to it by robbing Gresley of a thoroughly deserved share of the points.
Those supporters who made the long journey witnessed the best performance from Gresley so far this season with each and every player working hard and giving everything. At the finish they were out on their legs, but it was a measure of what had been a very entertaining game that both sides were applauded off the field by both sets of supporters.
Gresley expected to be put under pressure by their high riding hosts, but it was the visitors who had the first chance when a corner from the left taken by David McDermott was headed narrowly wide by Daryll Thomas at the near post.
McDermott then tried his luck with a long range firing over the bar and a minute later Gresley went close again when Jake McIntosh’s run down the left ended with a low cross into the box which was met by McDermott sliding in but home keeper Joe Searson-Smithard managed to block the effort.
On 44 minutes Newark were awarded a free kick taken by Danny Meadows and his well struck shot was heading into the far corner of the net but Ben Allsop flung himself to his right to turn the ball around the post for a corner.
Gresley had the last chance of the first half with Joe Haines firing his shot wide of the near post. Seconds later the referee ended what had been a very entertaining game of football from both sides.
Within seven minutes of the second half starting Joel Howes had the dubious distinction of being the first Gresley player to spend 10 minutes in the sin bin for complaining vigorously to the referee about a poor tackle on one of his team-mates minutes earlier.
Newark saw their chance to apply even more pressure on their visitors but some stout defending with players throwing their bodies in front of the ball to repel the home attacks Gresley survived the period down to 10 men.
On 75 minutes Newark were denied by the bar as Kyle Dixon’s shot clipped the woodwork. More pressure was mounting but Gresley to a man defended well with one example being when Allsop had to fly out of his area to try and clear a dangerous ball but was beaten to the ball and it was smashed towards the unguarded goal but the Gresley players came back quickly and made a crucial block to deny them going behind.
The sterling efforts by the Gresley players was starting to tell on the players as they began to tire under the pressure. Newark forced four consecutive corners, but they still couldn’t breach the Gresley defence.
On 80 minutes home substitute Jack Beckett had a well struck shot brilliantly tipped over the bar by Allsop and three minutes later they went close again this time with a header crashing off the bar.
Gresley continued to try and press forward but deep into time added on they received a cruel blow. Gresley had fought for everything but a loose ball was hammered into the net from the edge of the box by Beckett and a minute later the referee blew his whistle to end a pulsating game of football.
