Gresley Rovers vs GKN Sankey
Red-hot Rovers – Rex Page – Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers last night emerged from almost a month of non-stop cup football to deliver a timely reminder that their sights are firmly set on the Banks’s League title.
Urged on by their biggest home crowd of the season, Rovers made absolutely certain that their unbeaten Banks’s run would be stretched to an astonishingly 32 games by sweeping to a 3-0 interval lead.
Needless to say, their chief executioner was the potent Brian Beresford who plundered two more goals to take his tally for the campaign to 14.
Faced by a gusting wind after the interval, Gresley were unable to sustain their glittering form in attack and a spirited fight back by GKN was delayed only by a Karl Austin penalty save.
Overall, though it was a competent performance against a side not good enough to muscle its way into the title chase, but always capable of providing a severe examination.
The Shropshire side did not play at all badly, yet they were overwhelmed by the pace and panache of Gresley’s attack.
It took Rovers all of 130 seconds to nose in front with a stunning goal by Clive Arthur.
Beresford provided a testing low cross after a surging run along the left and although borrowed striker John Branch was unable to make contact, Arthur now happily restored to his favourite position wide on the right, steamed into the area to thrash a 15-yard shot of phenomenal power past a bewildered Glynn Preece.
GKN twice squandered chances to level the scores, but found themselves hard pressed to cope with an irresistible tide of Gresley attacks.
Beresford and Branch both went close with headers and only the agility of Preece prevented Rovers’ leading scorer from hitting the target with a rising drive.
Beresford was not to be denied, however, and in the 35th minute he stretched Gresly’s lead.
He began the move with a sweeping pass to Arthur and then timed his run perfectly to arrive at the far post to thump in a header from the winger’s precise cross.
Jon Laws missed an absolute sitter from five yards, but there was no escape for GKN when Beresford struck again in the 38th minute.
Preece parried the ball when Branch threatened to punish a mistake by Andy Smart, but Beresford, always aware of opportunities, was on hand to steer a low shot into an unprotected net.
GKN’s Andy Rich, Martin McKenzie and Steve Kelly all found their way into the referee’s notebook as their composure finally snapped and there was more frustration for then in the 64th minute.
Steve Dolby handled under pressure, but Martin McKenzie’s spot kick was comfortably saved by Austin..
There was no shortage of goalmouth incidents, Arthur going close to adding to Gresley’s lead, and in the 78th minute a rare error by Austin rewarded GKN for their energy.
The Gresley keeper allowed his attention to be diverted by movement at the far post and Jim Brown’s free kick from the left crept past him unassisted.
Rovers had John Bottomley and Mark Bromley booked as the battled to maintain their two goal advantage, Austin making amends for his blunder by brilliantly turning over a 20-yard piledriver from Mark Comerford.
Gresley Rovers (3) 3
GKN Sankey (0) 1
Scorers: Arthur 2, Beresford 35, 38 (Gresley Rovers): Brown 78 (GKN Sankey).
Gresley Rovers: Austin, Bottomley, Early, Laws, Dolby, Bromley, Arthur, Philpott, Branch, Beresford, Banton. Sub not used: West.
GKN Sankey: Preece, Sankey, Smart, Moore, Rich, McKenzie M, McKenzie K, Brown, Kelly, Comerford, Grant. Sub not used: Rogers
Referee: S Ross (Poleworth).
Attendance: 308
