Gresley Rovers vs Hucknall CW
Praise the Laws – Rex Page – Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers are nearer to Wembley than they have ever been in there 104-year history after snatching victory in a gripping FA Vase third round confrontation with Hucknall at the Moat Ground on Saturday.
And the hero of an epic blood sweat and tears display by Frank Northwood’s bruised and battered troops was Jon Laws, the man Gresley followers love to hate.
Laws, buffeted by criticism from the terraces for much of the season, earned instant adulation when he grabbed the 67th minute goal which secured Rovers a place in the uncharted territory of the last 32.
The computer salesman showed he was programmed for the big occasion when he spurted into the area to fasten on to a perfectly delivered low centre from Brian Beresford and beat David Bull with a firm low drive from 15 yards.
“Good players do not become bad ones overnight and I knew that if I persevered with Jon he would do the business for me,” said a self-satisfied Northwood.
Laws, easily Gresley’s best player beyond the back four, could not have signalled his return to form at a most appropriate moment – for his goal came when robust Hucknall were threatening to send their vocal followers on a victory jig all the way back up the M1.
His goal came just as a furious 20-minute assault by the Nottinghamshire miners was promising to break the resolve of a Gresley defence being tossed and turned like a paper boat in an Atlantic storm.
Sadly, once Hucknall sensed their considerable effort might not be good enough they scarred a game which had throbbed with excitement from the first whistle by trying to kick their way back into contention.
Richard Johnson, David Newton and Steve Hare incurred the wrath of the referee and when the latter planted his studs into the chest of goalkeeper Karl Austin in the 83rd minute, he paid the ultimate penalty of an early bath.
Still, those unsavoury moments could not detract from what had been a marvellous, full-blooded cup-tie between sides who traded punches like old fashioned barefist fighters.
The drama unfolded from the fifth minute when Austin produced an astonishing one-handed save to prevent the impressive Ian Hannah from scoring with a powerful header.
Gresley responded with glimpses of the refined and subtle approach work that has become their hallmark, forcing Hucknall to yield in a flurry of pressure in the 13th minute.
Clive Arthur, cutting in from the left, had a low drive hacked off the line by Newton, but there was no escape for Hucknall and Steve Dolby seized on the rebound to ram the ball into the roof of the net.
Devaney, forcing Bull into a save of real quality, emphasised Hucknall’s vulnerability when Gresley attacked them on the floor, but the visitors were nothing if not belligerent.
Their main weapon so far had been to seek out the aerial power of Johnson and Hannah, so their 36th minute equaliser came from an unexpected quarter.
Hannah had already been identified as the major threat, but Gresley had no answer when he surged forward from midfield to beat Austin with a 25 yard shot of stunning power and precision.
It was just the stimulus Hucknall needed and the half time interval proved only a brief intrusion as they swarmed forward with the scent of victory in their nostrils.
Rovers found themselves on the ropes from the restart and it took all the athleticism of Austin and the cool head of Dolby to deprive Hucknall of the lead.
In the event, though, Gresley’s ability to squeeze moments of real quality into lulls in the power play of their opponents proved decisive.
Once Laws had restored their advantage and Hucknall had decided to seek retribution of another form, the anxiety of the home fans was greatly eased.
Relief might have come sooner that at the final whistle, but Beresford reminded his audience that it had not really been his day by depositing an extravagant chip wide of a post when a simple pass to the unattended Devaney would have put the game beyond Hucknall’s recall.
Gresley Rovers (1) 2
Hucknall CW (1) 1
Scorers: Dolby 13, Laws 67 (Gresley Rovers): Hannah 37 (Hucknall CW).
Gresley Rovers: Austin, Bottomley, Bromley, Pearsall, Dolby, Early, Arthur, Philpott, Laws, Beresford, Devaney. Subs not used: Taylor A, Mould.
Hucknall CW: Bull, Dawkins, Newton, Chamberlin, Harrod, Priestly, Hare, Hodgson, Johnson, Hannah, Dykes (Baldwin 79). Sub not used: Walsh.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Jon Laws.
Referee: D R Griffiths (Stoke on Trent).
Attendance: 611
