Match Report  |  Gresley FC vs Newark Flowserve

By Alfie Burley

Gresley suffered a fifth straight league defeat as Gregory Smith’s first half opener downed the Moatmen in a slim 1-0 loss.

Flowserve sealed back-to-back victories in the league as striker, Smith, bundled in a corner from close range to seal all three points for the away side. The Moatmen’s task was not helped by the second-half sending off of midfielder, Kyle Batchelor following a suspected elbow.

It was a first half controlled by the newly-promoted outfit, who had the first big chance of the contest seventeen minutes in when Daniel Meadows brilliantly controlled a long ball by Searson-Smithard before rounding Ben Allsop. However, the winger couldn’t finish it off, blazing his attempt over the bar when it looked easier to score. Just a minute later however, his blushes were spared as Flowserve hit the front. A pinpoint corner kick from Kyle Dixon found Smith, who somehow found himself in acres of space just yards out from the goal. The newly signed forward made no mistake, netting his third goal in two games past a hapless Allsop.

The goal only seemed to boost the away side as they continued to press the Gresley defence, and they thought they had doubled their lead twelve minutes later, but the offside flag denied Jack Beckett. Despite having to weather the storm of a bright Newark start, Gresley got better as the half wore on and they thought they had equalised when Albert Lansdowne headed in Adam Skeldon’s free kick, but it was the Moatmen’s turn to have a goal ruled out for offside as the flag denied the centre-half.

In the second period, Gresley started brightly, holding onto possession as they started to pressurise Flowserve. Yet, the Moatmen struggled to create clear-cut chances and failed to really test Searson-Smithard in net for Newark, and it would be Allsop, in net for Gresley, who maintained the one goal deficit for his side. A delightful cross from Dan Meadows had found substitute Sean Wooley free at the back post, before Allsop pulled off a remarkable save to deny Newark a second goal.

Gresley’s challenge of finding an equaliser was made even harder, when in the seventy-fourth minute, Kyle Batchelor was dismissed after a suspected elbow on Jack Beckett was deemed to have been worthy of an instant red card from referee, Niall Nestor. The Moatmen refused to give up however, finding a new attacking impetus following the setback. Joe Haines saw his curling effort from the edge of the box fly over the bar whilst a free kick from Skeldon was inches away from finding the top corner.

Newark should’ve wrapped up victory in injury time, when halfway through wheeling away in celebration, Smith was denied his fourth goal in two games as his thunderous effort rebounded off the post. Although, the one goal advantage in the end proved to be enough as Gresley failed to score in their third consecutive game in all competitions.

Next up the Moatmen travel to Wolverhampton to square off against twelfth placed AFC Wulfrunians at Castlecroft Stadium, where they hope to break their sequence of defeats.