FA Cup Preliminary Round
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Saturday, 24th August 2019, 3.00pm
Gresley Exit The FA Cup
Despite a continuing improvement in their performances Gresley slipped out of the FA Cup after conceding another late goal against the Northern Premier League South East outfit Sutton Coldfield Team.
Having the better of the first half Gresley could easily have been two or three goals to the good as they had two cleared off the line and a blistering shot hitting the cross bar.
With Gavin Hurren’s recent departure Dan Crane took charge in what was to be his final game for Gresley. He included new signing Ben Fairclough who took a place on the bench and welcomed back Nehemia Zazi who had not featured since the Hednesford friendly a month ago due to a family bereavement.
Gresley started really well and were soon pushing their visitors back and on 19 minutes went so close to taking an early lead through Zazi but his two consecutive strikes were cleared off the line by Sutton defenders.
The Moatmen went agonisingly close again a few minutes later when Joe Haines made a good run down the left before firing in a low cross into the box, but David McDermott was a mere inch or so from connecting with the ball as he slid in.
The pressure on Sutton told on 27 minutes. Jack Walsh had his shot blocked and Mark Potts reacted quickly to smash the loose ball home.
It was mainly one-way traffic now with Zozi’s dummy leaving the ball for Albert Lansdowne to strike beautifully from just outside the area, but his shot hit the top of the cross bar.
Zozi ended a fine half for Gresley curling a low shot that the diving Lewis Gwilliams did well to claim.
Sutton made a change early in the second half and the game became a little scrappy in the blistering heat.
A harshly awarded free kick on the edge of the area allowed Sutton to draw level when Reece Leek drove a perfectly placed kick past the defensive wall and into the bottom far corner giving Ben Allsop no chance.
Gresley were being put under pressure themselves now but still managed to have chances with Haines firing narrowly wide of the near post.
More changes for both sides again saw the game go scrappy for a while but Gresley were denied what looked like a certain penalty when a defender clearly hit the ball with his arm raised above his head two yards inside the area only for the referee to award a free kick on the edge of the area. Gresley players were incensed at the decision.
Substitute Jordan Fitzpatrick took the free kick and Gwilliams did well again diving full length to his left to stop the ball going into the bottom near corner.
The killer blow came on 88 minutes when David Leak’s rash challenge in the area gave the referee no option but to point to the spot. Leek took the kick and beat Allsop to score his second and take the visitors into the next round.
On this showing, which was on par with Tuesday’s Newark game, a win cannot be far away for Gresley.
