Pre-Season Friendly
The Moat Ground
Tuesday, 25th August 2020, 7.45pm
Rovers Denied Win By Late Goal
Alfie Burley
Rovers were pegged back late on as Chasetown denied them a shock victory in a 1-1 draw at the Moat.
After scaring seventh-tier Stafford Rangers last time out, Rovers once again proved they could compete with higher-level opponents in a competitive 1-1 draw with Chasetown.
Gresley took the lead early in the second half through David Kolodynski, and despite the away side being reduced to ten men after a dangerous tackle, they managed to equalise 11 minutes from time through their substitute striker.
It was actually a very scrappy contest in the first half, with both sides ultimately cancelling each other out with little goalmouth action to speak of.
The extremely blustery conditions were also playing a big part, as Rovers attempted to keep the ball on the floor, whilst the away side opted to try and catch out Gresley’s central defenders with long balls forward.
It took all the way up to the 24th minute for either side to have a sighter at goal, and it came the way of Chasetown. A pinpoint delivery from their number nine found number eight in the middle, but his header from the centre of the box was blocked well by Mason Frizelle.
The Scholars, however, were mostly restricted to long-range efforts for the majority of the first half. Number three, overlapping from left-back cut inside and tested his luck, but Fryatt batted away his shot at the near post.
Rovers were posing a threat through the link-up play of their front four, but their only real opportunity of the first 45 came when Danny Munday was crowded out in the area, leaving the ball to fall to Andy Westwood 25 yards out, but on the volley, the midfielder scuffed his effort well wide.
After a cagey first half, Gresley came out from the break with much more cutting edge, and a lovely pass with the outside of his foot from Kaylum Mitchell found Munday in the box, but the striker dragged his shot wide.
Six minutes into the second period, however, Rovers would be ahead. A superb interception from Lucas Harrison was matched by a lovely through ball to David Kolodynski. The winger managed to beat the offside trap and run away from the recovering defenders, before sitting the ‘keeper down and slotting in to his right.
Chasetown, immediately, came close to a response, number 15 heading wide from a good position following a good run down the right-hand side from the away side’s winger.
With the Moatmen dropping deeper in order to protect their one-goal advantage, Chasetown managed to fashion out clearer opportunities than they did in the first half.
Tricky feet from number 14 set up number 11 in the box, but Joe Fryatt did well to snuff out the chance at the near post, before he could only watch as number twenty half-volleyed well over the crossbar after well positioned in the box.
In the 74th minute, Chasetown’s task got harder as they were reduced to ten men. After Joe Haines slid in to win the ball back on the halfway line, the Chasetown player desperately lunged in to deny the midfielder, but ended up catching the Rovers player very late with his two-footed lunge, leaving the referee no choice but to dismiss him.
It didn’t seem to phase the away side, however, as just five minutes later, they were level. It proved to be a real goalmouth scramble, as Fryatt scrambled to hold onto the ball following a long-range effort, Smikle couldn’t quite clear it, leaving the ball to fall to number 19 who confidently slotted into the bottom left corner.
With the scores locked at 1-1, neither side really threatened to find a winner. The closest either side came was in the 91st minute when Andy Westwood was inches away from netting a dramatic late goal.
After picking up the ball 25 yards out, the midfielder whipped a powerful shot just wide of the far post.
