Gresley Rovers vs Brereton Social
Beresford brace fires Moatmen – Rex Page – Burton Mail
Gresley buried the worst of their first half form beneath another avalanche of excitement at the Moat Ground on Saturday to stretch their beat ever run in the West Midlands League to 16 games without defeat.
Brereton, themselves boasting a 12-game unbeaten run, threatened to extend Rovers to the limit of their capabilities until Brian Beresford climaxed a marvellous three-game sequence by breaking the gritty resolve of the rejuvenated Rugeley side.
Beresford, Gresley's scorers in a 1-1 draw at Wednesfield the previous Saturday, and the four-goal hero of a midweek mauling of Oldswinford, struck with deadly accuracy of an assassin twice in as many minutes.
Rovers were labouring towards an hour of unproductive football when a powerful run by back to form John Laws finally unhinged the Brereton defence.
Laws lost control 20 yards out, but when a determined piece of foraging by Robert Philpott propelled the ball into the area Beresford swooped like a bird of prey to steer it home from six yards.
Brereton were barely given a chance to dwell on their misfortune to be in arrears when the lethal Gresley striker picked at the pieces of a ruined defence like a hungry vulture.
New signing Nigel Barrows soared brilliantly at the far post to meet Clive Arthur's cross from the right and when his powerful header was blocked on the line by Steve Glaister, Beresford nipped in to snatch his 38th goal of the season.
Irresistibly, the issue was put beyond all doubt in the 74 minute through Barrows, who celebrated an impressive debut with a richly deserved goal.
Arthur was again the supplier and this time there was no one on goaline duty to prevent another firm header from nestling into the corner of the net.
Brereton did not deserve to be heading towards such a conclusive defeat, but in their present mood Gresley are capable of steamrollering sides into submission even when their best form proves elusive.
At least Social had something to show for their efforts when John Glaister scored with a lovely header ten minutes from the end, but they probably felt it scant reward for their endeavours.
The afternoon began badly for them when they arrived only ten minutes before the kick off – delaying the start by three minutes – but after a shaky 15 minutes or so, they looked the sharper side before the interval.
Former manager David Nish was called into Gresley's side for the first time since November because of an injury to Mark Bromley and played as though he had never been absent.
Curiously, though, Rovers looked all at ease in defence and Brereton would almost certainly have established an interval lead had their finishing been sharper.
Peter Perry twice got into good positions but fired weakly into the arms of Karl Austin and David Poole spoiled a powerful run into the area by allowing the Gresley keeper the easiest of saves.
Gresley Rovers (0) 3
Brereton (0) 1
Scorers: Beresford 60, 63, Barrows 74 (Gresley Rovers); J Glaister 80 (Brereton).
Gresley Rovers: Austin, Nish, Earley, West, Dolby, Butler, Arthur, Laws, Barrows, Beresford, Philpott. Sub: Davey.
Brereton: Purle, Westwood, Glaister S, Perry, Knapton, Page, Glaister J, McGregor, Abbots, Poole, Harvey. Sub: Galley.
Referee: R Fuller (Stafford).
Attendance: 340.
