Match Report  |  Gresley Rovers vs Harrowby United

If you’d have arrived at the Moat Ground this afternoon 18 minutes late, you would have missed five goals, yes five goals. However, you would have still seen four more before the end of the game!

The game flowed from end to end at a rapid pace with Rovers taking the lead to be pulled back then scoring twice to extend their lead before the visitors scored again all in the first quarter of the match.

Rovers were looking to progress into the 2nd Round proper for the first time for quite a few seasons and they set off in the best possible way. A pinpoint through ball from Danny Munday split the visiting defence and sent Ryan Seal in on goal and as visiting keeper Nathan Burrows came racing off his line Seal coolly lobbed the ball over his head and into the goal with just 6 minutes on the clock.

There was an almost immediate response from Harrowby. Capitalising on some slack defending from Rovers Jack McGovern stole the ball before firing across Rovers’ keeper Lewis Fenny and into the far corner with just 9 minutes on the clock.

Three minutes later Rovers were back in front. A cross from the right by Seal found the head of the predatory Munday in the area who made no mistake powering his effort past a helpless Burrows.

Rovers looked as if they had extended their lead to put themselves in a comfortable position when on 16 minutes a long throw into the box from Alby Lansdowne was backheaded by Alex Morris past a stunned Burrows.

If the home side thought they could relax a little they were sadly mistaken when, after a fast break, Jack Gurney got the better of a home defender and raced towards goal before slipping the ball to his team mate Danny Durkin at the far post who then had the easy task of knocking the ball into the net, 3-2 with just 18 minutes on the clock.

The pace did not let up and a good move down the left by Rovers ended with Steve Hart sending a cross into the box looking for a team mate but the toe end of a boot just denied the chance.

On 29 minutes Steve Hart became the fourth different Rovers’ scorer. Lucas Harrison took a throw on the left and into the box. The towering figure of Morris flicked on a header to the far post where Steve Hart, controlled the ball before smashing the ball home from close in.

Minutes before the break another long throw from Harrison cleared the defence and found Kane Lee who took great delight in firing home to give his side a three-goal advantage at the break.

Rovers continued on the front foot after the break with Munday firing into the side netting after some good work down the left. This was soon followed by Steve Hart producing footwork that would have given a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing a top mark as he danced his way towards goal around the defenders only to have his final shot blocked by the keeper’s legs at near post.

The home side were looking far more comfortable and in control of game when Lansdowne added goal number six. A corner from the left was swung in and the defender rose to meet the ball perfectly and head the ball home.

Munday was inches away from adding goal number seven seeing his low shot fly past the far post.

On 70 minutes Rovers were awarded a free kick around 22 yards out and fairly central. Steve Hart chose to take the kick and soon there was a buzz around the ground as supporters were expecting one of his now expected thunderbolts and they were not disappointed.

The big forward placed the ball where he wanted it, stepped back a few paces and then unleashed another unstoppable low shot into the bottom corner.

Harrowby went close to reducing the deficit on 74 minutes. A cross from the left picked out Alex Hales but his powerful goal bound header was expertly dealt with by Fenney who pushed the effort away to his left.

Young Rovers’ substitute Riley Crawley went close, but his low shot was comfortably dealt with by Burrows.

Rovers had two more attempts to add to their tally as the game headed to a conclusion and both came to Steve Hart. The first was a shot from the left which was saved at the post by Burrows and a couple of minutes later this time a shot from the right was also blocked by the keeper at the base of his near post.