GKN Sankey vs Gresley Rovers
Rovers owe it to super Karl - Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Ace goal-grabber Brian Beresford hit Rovers’ 93rd minute penalty winner, but there was only one name on the lips of the Gresley fans after their fourth successive league win.
Karl Austin, the keeper whose form dipped worryingly earlier in the season proved he was back to his brilliant best with a performance that broke the hearts of a muscular GKN side.
And what made Austin’s super show all the more extraordinary was that the best saves came after he had been laid out for almost ten minutes by a brutal foul from Sankey striker Michael Swan.
Rovers were incensed when the burly centre forward flattened Austin, who had comfortably collected a 46th minute backpass from impressive debutant Nick Sales.
Swan should have been sent to play with his rubber duck in the GKN bath for the foul. Instead referee Ross allowed him to escape with a booking, although there was no doubt the incident back fired on the home side.
Rovers, lethargic throughout the first half, burst into life after Austin’s recovery and only poor finishing prevented them burying GKN, whose only previous home defeat of the season was at the hands of championship leader Atherstone.
As it was, Gresley had to wait until the third minute of injury time before Beresford tried a tight-angled shot from Clive Arthur’s cross that full back Martin Sankey handled on the line, the striker’s firmly struck spot kick finally deciding a game that had earlier looked like being a repeat of the previous season’s goalless draw.
Rovers could have been behind after only three minutes when Steve Warrilow’s clever backheel gave Paul Grant a sight of goal but Austin produced his first good save of the day, dropping confidently to his left.
And that apart from Guy Hall’s blocked shot at the opposite end from Beresford’s 33rd minute corner, was just about it for first-half incidents in the goal areas.
But Rovers came alive after Austin’s injury. Gary Stevens fizzing skilfully along the left, Hall providing muscle and height in the middle and Rob Philpott doing his best to make up for the absence of his injured centre-field partner, Jon Laws.
GKN were gradually forced back although they continued to look dangerous on the break and Austin had to produce two good saves in a minute after Sankey’s free kick had opened up Rovers’ rearguard.
Arthur sent a piledriver against the woodwork, Sankey sliced a clearance over his own bar from Ian Earley’s cross and then Philpott shot tamely wide after sparkling approach work with Stevens.
At the other end Austin produced two more fine saves and the game seemed destined for a goalless draw until entering a sensational ten minutes of injury time.
First Swan found himself clear after an incisive build-up but completely missed the ball from five yards out.
And if the striker regretted his miss, then he felt positively wretched a minute later as Beresford blasted Gresley ahead.
Even then there was time for more drama. Lochrie crossed into the box, Steve Eccleston headed powerfully towards the top corner of the net but Austin soared superbly to tip the ball over.
GKN Sankey (0) 0
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Scorer: Beresford 93 pen.
GKN Sankey: Priest, Warrilow, Sankey, Moore, Grass, Cawley, Comerford, Eccleston, Swan, Grant, Lochrie. Sub: Rich.
Gresley Rovers: Austin, Bottomley, Bromley, Sales, Dolby, Hall, Arthur, Philpott, Stevens, Beresford, Earley. Sub: Pearsall.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Karl Austin.
Referee: S D Ross (Polesworth).
Attendance: 75
