Match Report  |  Cambridge City vs Gresley Rovers

It was a cruel ending to the game in which Rovers had dominated for most part and were looking for a share of the points at the very least when a wicked deflection gave Cambridge an undeserved lead with only minutes remaining on the clock.

A stiff wind was swirling around the 3G pitch which didn’t help either team to get into their stride leading to miss placed and over played passes.

Rovers started well with James Tague having a half chance on 6 minutes, but his scuffed shot was easily dealt with by the home keeper. Another chance soon followed with Lewis Belgrave firing Brad Maslen-Jones’ corner from the right just over the bar.

It was almost half an hour before City created a chance when Michael Davis had his header cleared off the line, but two minutes later on 27 minutes the visitors were in front when running onto a superb pass from Alby Lansdowne which caught the defence out and Kane Lee out muscled the defender before slotting the ball home.

There then followed a two-minute spell of goals. The first was an equaliser from City on 30 minutes with Jake Battersby’s cross from the left being met by the smallest player on the park, Stefan Broccoli, who’s flicked header looped header beat Rovers’ keeper Lewis Fenney.

Then on 32 minutes City were in front, this time from a slip by Lansdowne allowing Broccoli to capitalise slotting the ball past Fenney for his second of the game.

On 36 minutes there was an incident which was talked about by some of the travelling Rovers’ supporters. A high ball was played into City’s area and the keeper came out to deal with the danger and clattered his own defender. The ball went loose, and Ste Hart put it into the net. However, the referee Oliver Potter saw the keeper on the floor and had decided to pause play believing that there was a head injury which looked doubtful. The visiting players were furious and felt they’d been denied a perfectly good goal as it was the keeper’s own teammate who had collied with him, his protests earned Hart a yellow card. To add to the moment the referee awarded the home side a free kick even though no Rovers’ player had been involved in the incident.

With the first half almost up, Lee went close to grabbing his second goal and his team’s leveller. He once more beat a static backline but the home keeper this time blocked his effort.

Rovers went close to getting their deserved equaliser within two minutes of the second half beginning when a cross from the left found Dexter Dudley-Toole at the far post but his effort went wide.

Maslen-Jones went close firing his shot wide from distance as Gresley pressed forwards. They were rewarded for their endeavour on 54 minutes when Dudley-Toole headed home Maslen-Jones’ corner from the left at the far post.

It was no more than Rovers deserved as they had dominated the half so far and went close three minutes later when Lansdowne’s long throw into the area found Lee who turned before firing just wide of the post.

On 71 minutes City almost regained the lead in a rare attack but Lansdowne made a superbly timed block in the area to prevent the goal. Another chance for City came two minutes later with a header from a corner flying just wide. At the opposite end a smart turn in the area saw Hart’s goal bound shot on the turn deflected wide for a corner. Lansdowne’s long throw provided an opportunity for Belgrave but his effort went wide of the target.

With time running out Rovers were dealt the cruellest of endings to a game when City substitute Ryan Ingrey’s speculative shot from distance took a wicked deflection, giving Fenney no chance.

Rovers still had a couple of chances to get something from the game with Hart and Clark both going close in the closing stages.

Despite the loss there were sure signs of a good developing attacking side which should hold its own this season.