Match Report  |  AFC Wulfrunians vs Gresley FC

Report by Alfie Burley

Gresley sealed their first league victory of the season with a gutsy 3-2 win at the CKW Stadium against AFC Wulfrunians.

After five straight league defeats, you would’ve forgiven the Gresley players if they lacked some belief, but there were no signs of a lack of confidence as the Moatmen delivered their best performance of the season to down Wulfrunians.

A stunning solo effort from Joe Haines eventually wrapped up victory for Gresley to settle a topsy-turvy contest. Danny Jones, on his first start of the season, opened the scoring for Gresley as they started positively. Yet, they went into the break behind thanks to a strike from Jake Evans and a penalty conversion from James Hill. After the break though, Adam Skeldon’s stunning free kick levelled proceedings before Haines scored a contender for goal of the season with an unbelievable individual goal.

After a scrappy opening to the game, the Moatmen took the lead in the eleventh minute with Haines nodding it to Jake McIntosh, who flicked his header towards Jones. On his first start this season, the forward showed no signs of rustiness as he acrobatically finished off the move to score Gresley’s first goal in three league games.

Yet, the away side’s joy would prove to be short-lived as Wulfrunians responded just four minutes later. A thorn in the side of the Gresley defence all night, Jake Evans sent a thumping strike from the edge of the box into the top left hand corner, past the outstretched arms of Ben Allsop.

Goals from both sides within the first fifteen minutes told the story of the first period as both sides had a host of chances. Wulfrunians nearly completed the turnaround just seconds after their equaliser, with Evans going close twice, firing his second attempt over the bar after Allsop had parried his first.

The Moatmen, however, did not look like a side at the bottom of the division as Tom Turner was forced to turn over Kyle Batchelor’s superb volley and Skeldon’s free kick. Yet, Wulfrunians should’ve been ahead in the 37th minute when Khenan Barrett delivered a pinpoint cross to Dominic Dell. Yet the striker’s header was somehow clawed away by Allsop to deny Wulfrunians their second goal.

However, they wouldn’t be denied four minutes later when referee, John Roskelly pointed to the spot following a sliding challenge from Jake McIntosh on James Hill. The striker picked himself up and dispatched the spot kick comfortably, nonchalantly striking down the middle handing Wulfrunians the advantage going into the half time break.

Following the break, Gresley came out fighting and whatever Dave McDermott said to his team, clearly resonated as the Moatmen were back level in the 50th minute. Skeldon firing a stunning free kick into the bottom right hand corner to level proceedings. Just six minutes later, however, Gresley were nearly paid right back as Jake Evans struck the upright with a free kick himself, the ball striking the inside of the post before bouncing to safety.

Dominic Dell was certainly having a frustrating afternoon for the home side, all in part due to Allsop being in electric form. Just as he looked certain to restore Wulfrunian’s lead, Allsop produced another outstanding save to instinctively parry away his close range header. Following this miss the forward was replaced by Aaron Bishop, although the substitute didn’t have the desired impact. After an unfortunate slip by Jacob Sturgess, Bishop was left with the goal to aim at, and whilst he managed to beat Allsop, he also beat the post, sending his low shot fizzing wide.

It would prove to be a costly miss. Just when it looked like Wulfrunians would be held to their first draw of the season, Gresley struck a valuable winner. After picking the ball up in midfield, Haines ran the length of the Wulfrunian’s half all the way to the edge of their box, jinking past defenders as he went, before curling the ball into the bottom right hand corner to seal a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Wolverhampton-based outfit.

With a first league win of the season wrapped up, Gresley look to build some momentum as they take on South Normanton Athletic at the Moat Ground next Saturday. A fixture made interesting by the fact that a number of former Gresley players now don the Normanton shirt.