Pre-Season Friendly
Grange Park, Long Eaton
Tuesday, 4th July 2023, 7.45pm
Rovers' Promising Start
Gresley Rovers’ new look squad started their pre-season games with a trip to Long Eaton United newly promoted to the Northern Premier League Premier Division.
Both sides made many changes of players which has now become the norm during early pre-season games as manager’s tried and tested their new charges with Rovers’ management team naming nineteen split across both halves.
The game was played in a competitive spirit with the home side making most of the early chances as Rovers were still finding their feet. And they took advantage scoring just five minutes into the game after some poor defending from the visitors.
To their credit Rovers went close several times which, with more games under their belt, would probably have been converted but the build up that created the chances was very good.
Another slip in concentration allowed United to double their advantage seven minutes later with a low shot which beat Charlie Leeke and into the bottom corner.
The rest of the first half was fairly even with both sides making chances.
Rovers made their changes for the start of the second half, and they began to have more of a say in the game. Two of the younger players brought on took the attention of the traveling Rovers’ fans.
In goal was u18’s keeper Aiden Sharpe, who made some top class saves to deny United at least another goal with the youngster coming off his line quickly to block shots with both his body and his feet. One save brought applause from both sets of fans as the home side went close again.
Meanwhile, at the other end Haydn Brown was causing problems for the United defence with his runs into their area and along with some excellent play from fellow substitutes Steve Hart and Danny Munday saw Rovers threaten to score.
Overall, it was an encouraging performance from the new look side with moments of good football played all over the pitch which is very encouraging.
It’s still early days but despite tonight's score line there were signs of this side building into a solid footballing side ready for the new season.
