Match Report  |  Sporting Khalsa vs Gresley Rovers

Despite the scoreline this was one of the better performances so far this season. Still missing several key players those who were called into fill the squad did very well and Rovers could easily have returned from the game with something to show for their endeavours.

As was expected Sporting Khalsa piled on the early pressure with several chances. Gurjit Singh putting his header wide, a shot well saved by Charlie Wood followed by another save denying James McGrady a goal.

Rovers’ first chance came on 18 minutes when Nathan Banton made a run ending with him curling his shot towards the top corner only to see home keeper Brandon Ganley pushing the ball away to safety.

Jamie Sleigh had a good chance to give his side the lead on 22 minutes when he was put through one-on-one with the keeper, but Ganley made a good block.

Khalsa came back with a cross from the right being headed over the bar by Simeon Colbourne. They then put a free kick wide from 25 yards. On 37 minutes Sleigh beat the Khalsa backline once more but this time he fired his shot over the bar.

Rovers ended the half defending solidly which they had done successfully so far.

Just after the hour mark Rovers went close again. A good run down the left by Banton ended with him picking out Sleigh but again the chance went begging as the ball flew over the bar. Jack Andrews went close a few minutes later but his shot also cleared the bar. Khalsa were still creating chances, but all their efforts went either wide or over the bar.

Rovers made their first change on 82 minutes with Jonathan Dawkins replacing Danny Munday and three minutes later replacing Jordi Gough with Philip Kowalski and they held out to take the game into a further 30 minutes.

At the start of the extra period Bekir Halil came on for Jack Andrews and Rovers almost grabbed the lead but a well struck shot heading into the bottom corner was brilliantly clawed out by Ganley diving to his right. It was then Wood’s turn to produce a great save as he denied substitute Isai Marsellia.

With just a few minutes of the first extra period left Khalsa took the lead when a cross from the left was somehow squeezed into the goal by Marsellia at the near post.

The half ended with some unsavoury action when Halil was poorly tackled unfortunately he retaliated giving the referee no option but send him off. Whether the Khalsa player should also have walked for such an atrocious tackle is debatable.

Rovers made two more changes on 111 minutes with Etan Goodfellow and Seb Owen replacing Banton and Sleigh respectively. Now Rovers had one of the youngest sides fielded by the visitors for some time but to a man they played their hearts out.

With Rovers down to 10 they conceded again on 113 minutes when a cross from the right was turned into the goal by Colbourne.

Rovers may have slipped out of this season’s FA Cup but they can hold their heads up high and be proud of running a side from a level higher so close.