Austin's Heaven! - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
Keeper Karl Austin turned from stopping goals to scoring them to astound the Moat Ground and put Gresley Rovers firmly back on the winning trail last night.
Austin's mighty boot, a wind assisted bounce and a poor piece of positioning by visiting goalkeeper Ken Gunter gave Gresley a fourth-minute lead.
And just to prove some people never learn, another massive punt by Austin caught Blakenall cold to again allow fit-again striker Brian Beresford to score his second and Gresley's third goal on 26 minutes.
That was the end of the scoring but in a game that Rovers dominated from start to finish Gresley could almost have run up a double figure tally.
John Laws and Clive Arthur both found space for testing crosses from the right in the opening stages as Gresley sought to improve on their 2-2 draw at Blakenall when the sides last met.
But it was from a 13th minute corner that Gresley scored their second, Steve Dolby touching on Arthur's free kick and Beresford nipping in to lift the ball over Gunter.
The prolific number 10 was the main thorn in Blakenall's side and as if to prove that a three-match absence through injury had not affected his potency, Beresford almost added to his score from another corner but Gunter made up for his earlier lapse with the first of several fine saves.
But Blakenall's policy of pushing up at the back against a strong swirling wind proved folly again after 26 minutes. Another massive boot from Austin cleared the back line and Beresford showed tremendous control to beat Gunter and tuck the ball home with no other defender anywhere near.
Rovers lost the injured Dolby after half an hour but that didn't affect their domination and it was only thanks to Gunter and some disappointing finishing that there was no more goals.
Blakenall had few moments to savour, Austin being called on to make only one real save when he left his line like lightning to deny winger Ray Downey a consolation goal on 78 minutes.
Gresley Rovers (3) 3
Blakenall (0) 0
Scorers: Austin 4, Beresford 13, 26.
Gresley Rovers: Austin, Bottomley, Earley, Pearsall, Dolby (Harlow 31), Laws, Arthur, Philpott, Branch, Beresford, Mould.
