Match Report  |  Gresley Rovers vs Quorn

Football can be a cruel game sometimes especially when you are in the bottom reaches of a league table as Rovers are at the moment.

Rovers had fought their way back into the game after going down to an early Paddy Webb goal but had the share of the points which they thoroughly deserved by a rash tackle and resultant penalty kick.

To the honest person watching this game would surely have seen not much difference between the two sides and it was heard as the home side received their supporters’ applause as they left the field at the final whistle.

With only four minutes on the clock Rovers were caught cold when a cross from the left by Silvio Bello found Webb at the far post who had the easy task of knocking the ball home.

The home side seemed unsettled by the goal and took time to find there feet again and could have been further behind as Courey Grantham had the chances which he missed but they did have a decent chance on 22 minutes when Jenson Cooper hit a dipping shot from distance which unfortunately scorched the top of the bar, while down at the other end Tyrell Shannon-Lewis missed a golden opportunity putting his effort wide of the gar post from close in.

Grantham beat the Rovers’ backline on 31 minutes but fired his shot wide with only the keeper to beat. Six minutes later Rovers looked to have been denied what looked like a clear-cut penalty by the referee Mr Mason when Kieran O’Connell was brought down in the area by a tackle from behind.

The first half ended with Rovers testing the resolve of visiting keeper Charlie Woods with an header straight at him.

Rovers’ keeper Louie Turner was needed early in the second half having to keep out Cain Noble’s effort. It wasn’t Shannon-Lewis’s day as once more he missed a gilt-edged chance in similar manner in which he missed the one in the first half.

Quorn were being pressed back as Rovers began to turn the screw and their fully deserved equaliser came in the 71st minute as a result of a good spell of football. O’Connell threaded the ball into the penalty area for Jack Tyson who accepted the offer and riffled the ball home.

The visitors looked rattled and as the match entered its final 10 minutes Rovers were a mere inch from taking the lead. Cooper burst through the shaky Quorn back line and beat the keeper with his shot which hit the inside the left post before ricocheting out to substitute Dylan Hunniford. He struck a thunderous goal bound shot which was somehow blocked by a defender who knew nothing about it and the ball then being sent over the bar.

With just five minutes remaining Rovers were struck a cruel blow. Pressing for the winner they found themselves having to deal with a quick break and the unfortunate John Guy bundled the player down and even though this tackle looked equal to the one which denied Rovers a spot kick this time the referee handed Quorn the chance to steal all three points with Ryan Bewick converting the kick.

A cruel, cruel blow for Rovers which adds even more pressure on them for the remaining few games.