Match Report  |  Pinchbeck United vs Gresley Rovers

Harry Tizard

Gresley Rovers returned to second-place in the UCL Premier Division North after a comprehensive 5-1 away victory against Pinchbeck United.

Leading at the break thanks to Steve Hart, a brace from Ryan Seal and another from Hart in eight second-half minutes gave the Moatmen a four-goal advantage just past the hour.

Substitute Corey Bucalossi then scored the Rovers’ fifth of the game with 10 minutes remaining, before a late consolation from Krisztian Gasgye denied Gresley a deserved clean sheet.

After a slow start to the game, it was Pinchbeck who threatened first. Breaking away from a Gresley corner, Patrik Kacirek’s chipped ball from the right found Avelino Viera at the back-post. Angling his effort across the goal, George Clark did well to block the shot, with the ball spinning into the hands of Lewis Fenney.

Gresley responded with a chance of their own just moments later. Pulling the ball across the box, Hart’s pass was flicked into the feet of Kane Lee by captain Seal. Shooting first-time, Lee sliced his effort, with the ball bouncing out for a goal kick.

Pinchbeck looked bright during the opening exchanges of the game, but a goal for the away side midway through the first-half blew the light out of their side. Powering down the right-wing, Lee skimmed his marker before finding Hart inside the 18-yard-box.

Up against Neil Spafford, Hart pushed the ball onto his right foot before smashing the ball past Alex Smith at the near post.

Hart looked sharp, going close to getting his and Gresley’s second soon after giving the Moatmen the lead. Countering from a defensive corner, Seal carried the ball into the Pinchbeck half before finding the goal scorer on the left of the box. Swivelling to shoot, his deflected effort was saved by the foot of Smith.

The remainder of the opening half was relatively eventless until stoppage time when a fine stop from Smith denied the Rovers of a second just before the break. Dribbling forward, Seal’s dipping strike from the edge of the area was pushed away, denying the captain a third goal in two games.

The Moatmen started the second-half as they ended the first, with Hart the man looking dangerous once again. The interplay between the striker and Seal down the left ended with Hart powering a shot towards goal, but his deflected effort looped over the bar.

Dominating proceedings, Gresley found a much-deserved seconds moments after from a familiar combination. Holding up the ball on the outskirts of the box after receiving the ball from Seal, the forward played in the onrushing captain who poked the ball past the Smith.

Doubling their advantage just before the hour, Gresley’s second goal of the game was followed by a quickfire double.

Unfortunate not to score immediately after taking the lead, with athletic stops from the Pinchbeck ‘keeper denying Danny Munday and Kane Lee, a penalty from Seal put the game beyond the hosts.

Putting the ball on the spot after captain Daniel Worthington was penalised for handling the ball inside the box, Seal sent the ‘keeper the wrong way, rifling the ball into the bottom corner.

Gresley’s frenzy of goals was then completed by Hart, with the Moatmen scoring three times in eight minutes. Striking a free-kick towards goal after Lee was brought down, the ball flew past a moveless Smith, with the wall failing to divert the ball away from goal.

Probing for a fifth to help bolster their goal difference, substitute Corey Bucalossi scored his first goal for the club with 10 minutes remaining.

Faking to shoot, Bucalossi beat defender Archie Robson before lashing the ball into the bottom corner.

With just a handful of minutes remaining, Alex Morris was denied by the upright after heading towards goal from a corner before Pinchbeck scored a fortunate consolation.

Krisztian Gasgyi’s attempt from distance seemed to have been causing Gresley ‘keeper Fenney little trouble until a wicked deflection off Mason Frizelle saw the ball find its way into the net.