Match Report  |  Holbeach United vs Gresley Rovers

Harry Tizard

A hat-trick from Steve Hart helped Gresley Rovers to a convincing 4-0 away victory against bottom of the league Holbeach United.

After scoring two goals inside the opening 30 minutes to put the Moatmen in control, Hart fired in a deflected third just after half-time to claim the match ball for the first time this season.

Danny Munday, who had chances throughout the game, struck late on from the penalty spot to get his second goal in as many games.

Gresley were favourites coming into the game and showed why with a flurry of chances at the start of the match. After being fed down the right by Hart, Munday’s ball into the box could only be cleared to the feet of Kane Lee. On the spin, Lee smashed his shot over the bar.

The away side looked dangerous from corners, going close twice in the opening ten minutes. First, it was Lee who went inches away from scoring, with Jake Frestle clawing his effort away before a diving header from Munday just went past the post.

Running through on goal, Munday had his one-on-one chance saved by the foot of the Holbeach ‘keeper, with the follow-up volley from Hart cracking off the base of the post.

With the score kept level due to a brilliant save and the woodwork in the opening 15 minutes, the Rovers finally took the lead. After Seal hit the same post that Hart was denied by moments before, the ball rebounded to the in-form striker, who tapped in from close range to give the visitors a deserved lead.

One goal quickly became two for Gresley and Hart. After a Munday header from a long throw into the box bounced off the bar, the incoming Hart powered the ball past three Holbeach players on the line to give his side a comfortable advantage.

Frestle, who had previously made a fantastic reflex save to deny Lee, repeated his antics once again to flick an Alby Lansdowne header onto the bar to keep his side in the fixture.

Holbeach looked promising on the attack on the few occasions that they entered the final third but couldn’t find a clinical edge. Their best opportunity came through Curtis Revell after he cut inside from the left, but a sliding block from Lansdowne helped preserve their clean sheet.

After a quiet final 15 minutes of the first-half for the away side, Gresley started the second with a goal. After a long throw was cleared to the feet of Ryan Seal, the captain played the ball across to Hart. Flicking the ball up outside the box, the striker lashed a low shot into the bottom corner, with his effort taking a deflection on the way through to beat the ‘keeper.

Completing his hat-trick earlier in the half, Hart almost got his fourth of the game on the hour mark. Lurking on the edge of the box, his strike flew past the post.

Dominant in attack, Gresley also did well on a defensive front ï¿1/2¿1/2ï¿1/2¿1/2" forcing Holbeach to take shots from long distance. Andre Williams almost troubled Fenny from 30-yards, but his dipping strike scrapped the top of the net.

Curtis Revell then went close for the home team. Rolling his defender, Revell curled a shot from outside the box across the goal, but his attempt hit off the outside of the post.

With signs of encouragement from Holbeach failing to result in a goal, it was the Moatmen who ended the game in style. Corey Bucalossi dinked the ball over the top to Munday, who was brought down in the box to earn a penalty with just a couple of minutes remaining. Picking himself up to take the spot-kick, with Seal substituted earlier in the game, the forward sent the ‘keeper the wrong way, striking the ball to the right of the goal.