Gresley Rovers vs Armitage
Gresley miss the jackpot – Rex Page – Burton Mail
For the second time in 48 hours, Gresley Rovers failed to cash in on the Banks’s League money-for-goals sponsorship scheme at the Moat Ground on Saturday.
With £2.50 at stake every time the back of the net is bulged, an obliging fixture list gave Rovers the chance to increase their earnings substantially.
But Armitage, trounced 10-1 on their last visit, were let off the hook by a benevolent Gresley attack – just as ten-man Tipton had been on Thursday night.
The home fans hopes of a goal feast were raised after just ten minutes when newcomer Dave Sutton punished a mistake by Armitage player-manager Colin Holder, but by the finish their patience had been thoroughly tested.
Armitage’s elaborate use of the offside trap suggested their sole ambition was to avoid another hugely embarrassing defeat.
Yet the visitors went desperately close to an equaliser when Mark Cogswell thumped a superb 25-yard shot against the bar after 13 minutes.
It was not until Jon Laws was introduced on the hour to give width to their attack that Gresley brought the game to life, but Armitage keeper Mark Civil refused to yield to persistent pressure.
Civil, diving here and pouncing there produced a string of fine saves to deprive Brian Beresford of his 43rd goal of the season.
Beresford had the final say in the 82nd minute when he deposited an inswinging corner on the head of Gary Stevens for the little striker to make absolutely sure of the points.
But for a piece of high-quality goalkeeping at the opposite end, however, that goal could have been the winner rather than the icing on a particularly stale piece of cake.
With 15 minutes remaining, Armitage midfielder Gary Todd unleashed a tremendous right foot shot that looked for all the world a goal until on-loan keeper Bob Aston, deputising for the injured Karl Austin, flung himself to his left to make the save of the game.
Gresley Rovers (1) 2
Armitage (0) 0
Scorers: Sutton 10, Stevens 82.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Bottomley, Williams, Sales, Dolby, Hall, Earley, Philpott (Laws 60), Stevens, Beresford, Sutton.
Armitage: Civil, Jenner, Morgan, Holden, Hyden, McMulkin, Todd, Cogswell, Foster, Ward, Canning.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Ian Earley.
Referee: P Heafield (Burtnwood).
Attendance: 320
