Modwell Plastics League Cup Round One
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Tuesday, 24th September 2019, 7.45pm
League Cup Defeat For Gresley
This was a bizarre game but a thoroughly entertaining one. Eight goals and the game going to the lottery which is called penalties in the end.
Gresley’s keeper hardly had a save to make but conceded four goals with three of them unfortunately down to him. We know that tonight was not his night and he is a far better goalkeeper than this game suggests, and he save one of the penalties at the end.
Gresley manager Dave McDermott made two changes to his starting line-up with McKlane Durdy and James Harrison coming in and new signing Sam Pilkington on the bench.
The home side made a blistering start going two goals within the first ten minutes. The first an unstoppable overhead kick from Albert Lansdowne in less than a minute gone. This was followed nine minutes later with James Bennett-Tindall firing a shot that visiting keeper Alfie Smith Eccles could only parry. The loose ball was snapped up by Nehemia Zazi who hammered into the visitors’ net.
Selston struck back on 16 minutes but it was handed to them on a plate. A cross from the left by Ben Moore was left by Allsop who thought it was going wide of the far post but to his embarrassment it landed in the bottom corner of his net.
The visitors drew level on 31 minutes when Henry Brooks jumped up in front of Allsop preparing to collect the ball and nodded it home.
Gresley went close to retaking the lead with three reasonable chances. First a free kick from Joe Haines on the right was flicked on by Zazi towards goal. Smith-Eccles fumbled the ball and almost pushed it into his own net down to his left.
Another Haines free kick from the right was met by Zazi who was unlucky to see his volley smash against the base of the far post, Jacob Sturgess hit the rebound marginally wide of the same post.
Gresley did retake the lead on 42 minutes with Ben Healey heading Haines’ free kick in at the far post.
Selston levelled again on the stroke of half time. A long ball was played into the area and Healey prepared to head clear but slipped on the greasy surface. The ball went over the unfortunate Healy and landed at the feet of Carl Moore who had the easy task of slipping the ball past Allsop from close in.
The second half was far less frantic. Gresley made a change on 53 minutes bringing on Pilkington for his debt but still the chances kept coming for home side with Sturgess firing wide.
Selston had a rare second half chance when Carl Moore raced through the Gresley backline, but his low shot was well saved by Allsop.
On 70 minutes Gresley went close twice more with a shot being cleared off the line and then a header crashing back off the bar.
Kenan Layton almost caught Allsop out with a lob from just inside Gresley’s half but the ball sailed fractionally over the bar with the keeper in no-mans land.
Pilkington fired at the visiting keeper but Selston at the other end took the lead. A ball was passed back to Allsop who then kicked the ball straight into the back of the retreating Layton and the ball bounced back into the empty net.
The best goal of the game came three minutes later when on 83 minutes Pilkington cut in from the left and unleashed an unstoppable shot past the stationary Smith-Eccles and into the top far corner of the net.
The referee ended the game and the dreaded spot kicks began.
Layton opened the scoring for the visitors with Pilkington for Gresley also scoring. Allsop got a hand to Ben Moore’s shot but not enough to keep the ball out. Bennett-Tindall netted for Gresley.
Carl Moore missed his shot giving the home side an advantage, but it was not taken as Jake McIntosh skied his effort over the bar. Henry Brooks scored but Zazi put his effort over the bar leaving Sam Weston to successfully send Selston into the next round.
