Brereton Social vs Gresley Rovers
Clive’s freak keeps Rovers on title trail – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Gresley’s goal machine ran short of bullets against a Brereton side determined to end the Moatmen’s 17 match unbeaten run.
It took a hugely fortunate Clive Arthur goal late in the first half to finally put the determined Rugeley outfit out of its stride.
Arthur happened to be in the way when a Brereton defender aimed a blasting clearance far upfield and the ball flew off the winger’s arm at a wild tangent before nestling into the net.
That goal gave Rovers the necessary psychological boost to take control as they kicked down the Brereton slope after half time and a brilliant solo effort from John Laws on 71 minutes settled the issue.
Gresley started brightly and could easily have had two goals in the first four minutes.
But referee Hart – a linesman standing in after the appointed official had failed to appear – waved away penalty appeals after Arthur’s cross appeared to have been handled by Brereton’s Mark Abbotts during a second minute raid.
Then Brian Beresford’s stretching header from another Arthur centre hit the angle of post and bar with Brereton gasping at the incisiveness of Gresley’s forward play.
But with the home side battling for every ball in midfield Beresford and co-striker Nigel Burrows soon found themselves struggling for support up front.
Chances began to fall at the other end of the park but Brereton were too hurried inside the penalty area to trouble Karl Austin.
The half seemed destined to be goalless until Arthur’s deflection as Mark Westwood attempted to clear Dave King’s through ball left keeper Gary Westwood hopping with helpless rage onn his goal line as the ball sailed past him.
Gresley stamped their obvious class on the game after the break and looked the better side even after Beresford had hobbled off with an ankle injury.
Kevin Banton forced Westwood into a desperate save under the bar with a full blooded shot from the edge of the box and Dave King – whose surges from midfield were a feature of Rovers’ game – began to find shooting chances if not any accuracy.
Nonetheless, Brereton will not have pleased with the manner of Gresley’s second, conclusive goal.
Laws gathered the ball half way with plenty of defensive cover between him and the goal but Brereton’s retreat left a massive gap for the midfield man to run into and score with a rasping shot from the edge of the box.
Gresley now took complete control although twice David Poole might have forced a consolation goal late on had Austin not showed complete assurance in the first saving his angled shot and then making a mighty block at the striker’s feet for the best save of the night.
Brereton (0) 0
Gresley Rovers (1) 2
Scorers: Arthur 40, Laws 71.
Brereton: Westwood G, Perry, Glaister S, McGregor, Baker, Westwood M (Barlow 75), Glaister J, Lycett, Abbotts, Poole, Furber.
Gresley Rovers: Austin, Philpott, Bromley, West, Dolby, King, Arthur, Laws, Barrows, Beresford (Butler 71), Banton.
Referee: R Hart (Sutton Coldfield).
Attendance: 75
