Gresley Rovers vs Rushall Olympic
Brian’s bounty – Rex Page – Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers needed just four minutes to find a cure for their FA Cup hangover at the Moat Ground last night.
That’s all the time it took for midfield man John Laws to score the goal that propelled Rovers towards fourth successive victory in the Banks’s League.
And Brian Beresford later struck twice to take his tally to six as Gresley impressively disguised the wholesale changes, which prefaced the game.
For much of the first half, Rovers threatened to steamroller Rushall into absolute submission as their slick attack moved smoothly into gear.
The early blow delivered by Laws was just the tonic Rovers needed after Saturday’s defeat against Wolverton Town.
Rushall’s defence failed to respond quickly enough when Kevin Banton delivered a low corner towards Laws.
As space invitingly opened up before him, the Gresley player used his pace to spurt past Steve McGuigan and ram in a fierce angled drive.
A dipping 25-yard shot from former Rovers’ striker Dave Butler, which Karl Austin finger-tipped over the bar, was a rare interlude of danger from the Walsall side.
Gresley swept further in the front in the 20th minute. Paul Stringer’s shot was blocked by the legs of the keeper and in the scramble which followed Mark Bowater handled on the line as Martin Devaney attempted to force the ball in.
With Clive Arthur absent, Beresford assumed the role of penalty taker with the minimum of fuss, steering the ball well beyond the reach of Steve Clay.
Rushall suffered another setback when Butler went off with a rib injury, but the visitors refused to yield totally and a minute before the interval they surprisingly cut the deficit when Jason Minton soared above the Gresley defence to power in a header from John Ray’s corner.
After the interval, Devaney quickly wasted a chance to restore Gresley’s two-goal advantage, but the home fans did not have to wait long.
With 60 minutes gone Banton’s cross from the left was headed back across by Devaney and Beresford prowling the six yard area, simply had to nod the ball into an unprotected net.
Austin had to produce fine saves to deprive Ken Pritchard and Bowater in a final fling from the visitors, but with Glen West stabilising the defence, Rovers confidently soaked up the pressure.
Gresley Rovers (2) 3
Rushall Olympic (1) 1
Scorers: Laws 4, Beresford 20, 60,(Gresley Rovers); Minton 44 (Rushall Olympic).
Gresley Rovers: Austin, Earley, Bromley, West, Dolby, Laws, Banton, Bottomley, Devaney, Beresford, Stringer. Sub: Priest.
Rushall Olympic: Clay, Wood, McGuigan, Minton, Bowater, Horne, Ray, Butler (Smith 30), Morris, Pritchard, Rowley.
Referee: K Dunn (Atherstone).
Attendance: 252
