Match Report  |  Gresley Rovers vs Halesowen Harriers

Gresley Rovers vs Halesowen Harriers

Bromley blunder hits title dream – Andy Parker – Burton Mail

Gresley Rovers hopes of overhauling Banks’s League title favourites Atherstone took a terrible blow in the mud, wind and rain of the Moat Ground last night.

Ahead on the hour through yet another Brian Beresford goal, Rovers were rocked by a stunning equaliser within three minutes and as Halesowen showed greater control in appalling conditions were finally killed off by a sickening 88th minute defensive blunder.

The game was heading for a draw as keeper Karl Austin threw the ball out to full back Mark Bromley on the left of the goal area.

But in moment of suicidal madness, Bromley played the ball straight back to the feet of centre forward Toby Hall, who rounded Austin and squared for winger Paul Waddington to blast joyfully the winner into an empty net.

It was a sickening moment for Gresley, who had needed a win to go level with Atherstone at the top of the table. Yet if earlier, glaring chances had been taken, the result would have been settled in favour of the home side long before the final whistle.

The normally lethal Beresford needed only the slightest of touches to convert a cross from debutant Des Parry on 35 minutes after the striker had rounded visiting keeper Tim Clarke and thumped the ball towards the empty net, but a wicked bobble left Rovers’ top scorer grasping at thin air.

Then, after Gary Stevens had seen a glorious 56-minute chance frustrated by Clarke, Parry missed a great opportunity to mark his first appearance with a goal when he headed over Beresford’s cross over from point blank range.

But as conditions got worse so the visitors control improved and there were few complaints of injustice as they snatched their late winner.

An extra incisive edge in attack made all the difference. Rovers, through all their hard worked approach play through Jon Laws, Clive Arthur and Stevens were sadly lacking when it came to applying a final ball into the box.

It could have been so different had defender Paul Thomlinson’s second minute backpass not crept inches wide the wrong side of a post or Beresford been able to capitalise on a penalty box half chance on the half hour after great work by Stevens.

But with the pace frantic and the wind doing its best to spoil attempts at constructive play, chances were at a premium, although John Bottomley’s careless backpass almost presented Waddington with a goal on 27 minutes, Nick Sales making a vital tackle.

New boy Parry was coming in and out of the game but showed a fair turn of skill on 36 minutes to create a shooting chance that went straight to Clarke, moments later trying to place another opportunity in the corner only to be thwarted again by a diving save.

Still no pattern emerged after the break but Rovers finally went ahead on the hour when Parry broke down the left and hit a hard low shot that Clarke could only push towards the lurking Beresford. The rest was a formality.

Only three minutes had passed when Halesowen were sensationally level, Richard Southall hitting a scorcher past Austin from well inside the box after Chris Mason had squared across the front of the Rovers defence.

Rovers were visibly shaken in seeing their hard work cancelled out and after Parry had missed his golden opportunity, it was Halesowen who made the best chances, Austin twice saving well from Mason.

But there could be no accounting for Bromley’s late blunder that left Rovers with the proverbial mountain to climb for league honours this season.

Gresley Rovers (0) 1

Halesowen Harriers(0) 2