Match Report  |  Gresley FC vs Walsall Wood

By Alfie Burley

Gresley sealed a first home win of the season as they comfortably defeated table-topping Walsall Wood 3-0 at the Moat Ground.

Two goals and an assist from Louis Briscoe sealed a comprehensive victory for McDermott’s men, aided by the sending offs of both Phil McKirdy and Lee Butler. However, nothing must be taken away from what was a dominating performance.

Gresley’s first half showing belied their league position as they ran rampant against the visitors. A dull opening 15 minutes contrasted the rest of the first period with the game sparking to life after 20 minutes. From a free kick, Kyle Batchelor nearly opened the scoring, crashing his shot against post, before the ball rolled along the line and hit the other post.

The Moatmen however, were given a massive advantage just a minute later as Phil McKirdy dangerously took down Jacob Sturgess. The referee adjudged the tackle to be out of control and sent McKirdy off, reducing the away side to ten men. Then, just to add to the away side’s woe, Louis Briscoe stepped up and netted a superb free kick into the bottom corner on his home debut.

Gresley really limited what was a side that had only lost twice all season, their only opening in the first half saw Connor Deards fire over when well placed on the edge of the box. It was Gresley however, who were firmly on top.

Just when it looked like Walsall Wood had escaped with just a one goal deficit, Briscoe doubled his and his side’s tally for the day. The striker picked the ball up inside his own half before waltzing past a static visiting defence capping the move off with a low finish under the body of Charlie Baker.

In the second half Gresley showed no nerves as they continued to put the away side under pressure and in the 58th minute they had their third. Briscoe was once again the beating heart of the attack as he won the ball back high up the pitch before cutting inside and teeing up Michael Nelson. The winger made no mistake thrashing the ball home from close range.

Wood did show some spirit late on, nearly pulling one back when Joey Butlin’s audacious outside-of-the-foot effort went just wide with Allsop rooted. Yet, any lingering hope that remained for the away side was quickly vanquished after another sending off 11 minutes from time.

The referee spotted Lee Butler as he led with his elbow on Exodus Geohaghon and without hesitation reduced the Wood to just nine men. This seemed to motivate Briscoe as he went for his hat-trick, and he had the perfect chance when Michael Nelson laid through a precise through ball, but when one-on-one with Baker, the influential frontman could only shoot straight at the ‘keeper.

Nevertheless, it was still a convincing 3-0 win for Gresley who end a period of 13 months without a home win with an unbelievable performance against a team who were at the summit of the Midland Football League Premier Division table.