Match Report  |  Newark Town vs Gresley Rovers

This game had almost everything, eight goals, a disallowed goal for an offside which wasn’t, the woodwork struck, and a penalty saved.

There was a good following from Gresley who would have been extremely happy with a point before the game but travelling home later it must have felt like a defeat as Rovers were a minute or so of taking all three points off another highflying side.

Rovers started well and were in front on 9 minutes. A cross to the far post eventually was cleared to Jamie Sleigh who hit a superb side volley which beat home keeper Jake West all hands down. It got even better 7 minutes later when Ryan King’s quick break saw him lay the ball on for Kane Lee who took his chance well to beat West.

On 29 minutes the home side were handed a lifeline as the referee awarded a very soft penalty. Alby Lansdowne was adjudged to have pushed a Newark player as he backed into the Rovers player at the near post awaiting a corner. To make things worse Lansdowne was sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes. However, justice was seen to be done as keeper Louie Turner saved the resulting penalty kick by Matty Clark.

Newark went close to reducing the deficit a couple of minutes later with Ryan Rushden heading over a simple chance from another corner.

Just before the break Newark did reduce their deficit when a long throw to the far post was headed home by Louis Czerwak. Four minutes later they were level when Rushden, left in acres of space, headed powerfully home from just inside the box.

The home side were celebrating clawing their way back into the game when Lee fought for the ball over in the right corner before sending over the perfect cross for Louis Anthony to head home. Newark looked shellshocked as the whistle ended the half.

Rovers made two changes for the start of the second half with Alex Britton replacing debutant Eli Christie and Jacob Sturgess, Jake Meakin.

Another chance for Rovers came on 49 minutes with Lee trying another of his long-range lobs which flew just over the bar with West well out of his goal. But Rovers didn’t have to wait long to regain their two-goal advantage again. Sleigh played an inch perfect through ball slicing the Newark defence in half for King to run onto and he cooly finished slipping the ball past the onrushing West.

Rovers should have extended their lead when Sleigh netted the ball from close in but the officials made a very dubious decision deciding he was offside even though a defender was standing on the goal line at the far post. Sleigh was devastated and very angry to have been denied a perfectly good goal which would have put his side three goals in front.

On 67 minutes Newark went close with an almighty scramble in the Rovers box but somehow the ball stayed out of the net. A minute later Rovers made another change with Jenson Cooper replacing King.

Rovers were having the better of the chances with Lee firing narrowly over from the left, Fin Barker hitting his shot straight at West and Sleigh volleying wide and then straight at the keeper.

Newark went close themselves with a shot blazed over when well placed and Smith crashing the base of the post. On 89 minutes substitute Cooper was inches away from scoring denied by the toe of West’s outstretched leg as the front man burst forward.

For the final few minutes Rovers were having to repel a heavy onslaught on their goal but unfortunately for them their defence was breached on 90 minutes when Joe Braithwate managed to find the back of the net and just when Rovers thought they were home and hosed the home side scored an unlikely equaliser.

Instead of hitting the ball as far from their goal as possible Rovers were struggling to clear it and a cross was headed home in the fifth minute of added on time by Ryan Smith with his teammates and supporters celebrating like they’d just won the title so was their relief of snatching a point at the end.

Anyone witnessing this game as a neutral would have been hard pressed to have know which team was at the top end and which was at the bottom end of the table with nothing to separate them in the end.