Match Report  |  Gresley Rovers vs Coleshill Town

Full credit to Stuart, Craig, Geoff and Mick, the groundsmen whose hard work over the last few rain sodden days enabled this game to go ahead. Yes, it was a little soft but playable and those hardy supporters who braved the elements were treated to the first win for Marc Strzyzewski’s team since the beginning of October and very welcome it was.

A new face was in the starting line-up with Josh Egginton returning to the Moat Ground and he settled in from the start as the home side started well with John King forcing a save out of former Moat keeper Lewis Fenney.

However, Coleshill hit back and it needed some sterling defending in the area to prevent Chris Cowley from giving his side the lead on 19 minutes.

Kieran O’Connell, back after missing the last couple of games due to injury, was starting to give the visiting defence problems and Fenney needed to be alert to stop the winger’s shot at the near post.

The game became scrappy towards the final few minutes of the first half with both sides putting passes astray but with five minutes remaining Cowley brought out a fine save from, home keeper Harvey Woodward having to tip over a stinging shot over the bar.

Rovers seemed to go up a gear in the second half. Richard Hanslow was played through and hit a low shot which Fenney did well to block with an outstretched leg. Woodward had to perform a similar save at his near post just a minute later,

The home side took the lead on 59 minutes when Strzyzewski threaded the perfect ball through the Coleshill back line for Jack Tyson to run onto and calmy put the ball past Fenney.

Both sides made changes in the following few minutes with Jamie Sleigh replacing Hanslow for Rovers and for Coleshill Aon Abbas and Jack Whelan replacing Alex Tomkinson and Sam Fitzgerald.

Minutes later Coleshill were inches away from levelling the scores when Cowley’s blistering shot from the left smashed against the base of the far post and away from danger.

That near miss seemed to spring Rovers into a swift attack and another great through ball split the visitors’ defence and Sleigh raced forward completing his run by smashing the ball past Fenney.

Three minutes later Sleigh grabbed his second goal and Rovers’ third. This time it was the completion of a fine flowing move down the left in which this time Chris Jones laid the ball forward for Sleigh to finish comfortably.

The relief from the Rovers’ supporters was heard around the ground as their team was on the verge of taking all three thoroughly deserved points on a cold, blustery and wet after noon at the Moat Ground.

Woodward was called on late in the game to make a smart low save to preserve his clean sheet but it was Rovers celebrating as the final whistle blew and the referee brought the game to an end.