Match Photos
Atherstone United vs Gresley Rovers
Cup of woe for Gresley
Gresley
Rovers surrendered this game on a pitch that could be described as "soft"
and with a very blustery wind. But these conditions were not to blame for Gresley's
exit from the Dr Martens League Cup; it was some sloppy defending and poor finishing
in front of goal.
Gresley began the game as if the match at Morecambe was bearing heavily on
their minds and could easily have been two goals down in the first two minutes.
Leon Doughty was twice put clear on goal with the Gresley defence nowhere to
be seen but his finishing left a lot to be desired. First he hit his shot well
wide of the target and his second hit the legs of James Lindley.
This seemed to awaken the visitors and on 11 minutes saw Chris White go close
but Dale Belford blocked his shot and Chris Gray shave the post with a shot.
On 14 minutes Gray took a corner from the right and Chris Parkins got his head
to the ball only for his header to come back off the cross bar and bounce to
safety with Belford beaten.
A mistake by on-loan defender Sean Cleary almost gave Atherstone the lead when
Kevin Charley robbed him of the ball. Charley put Doughty through and it took
an excellent tackle from Andy Cheetham to deny the striker a goal.
White had two glorious chances to give Gresley a halftime lead. On 34 minutes
White received the ball from a flicked header by Barry Woolley but could only
blast his first time shot well over the bar from 15 yards with only the keeper
to beat. His second on 40 minutes was an attempted lob but Belford tipped the
ball into the air and caught it at the second try.
The Adders came out of the starting blocks quicker than Gresley after the interval
and Lindley had to be alert to an effort by the busy Charley within the first
few minutes.
On
59 minutes, however, Gresley took the lead with a goal by their makeshift striker.
Atherstone lost the ball in midfield and it was put through to Cleary who ran
through into the box. Belford came to cut down the midfielders options but Cleary
saw Woolley unmarked on the left and put an inch perfect pass through and Woolley
did not refuse the invitation to score his 11th goal of the season.
On 63 minutes Gresley began to apply pressure and could have increased their
lead when a shot by Woolley was blocked and Belford saving the rebound shot
from Gray.
Woolley again went close on 68 minutes after some good work by Cleary, but
his shot went inches past the post.
It looked as if Gresley were to hold onto the lead until a mistake by Gresley
skipper Stuart Evans gave the Adders a chance to equalise. Evans failed to cut
out a through ball and it fell to Charley who expertly turned Cheetham and slotted
the ball past a helpless Lindley.
John McGinlay took off Parkins and replaced him with Andy Bourne but the tide
had turned.
The visitors were defending too deep allowing Atherstone to take control of
the midfield and to apply pressure on the Gresley defence.
Philip Rowe went close after a poor clearance by Richard Wardle and Lindley
pulled off a superb save to push a goal bound shot by Ryan Dowsing onto the
post.
Extra time was looming but with 4 minutes left of normal time the home side
got a stroke of luck.
As he tried to clear, the unfortunate Ian Bluck accidentally hit the ball at
the referee and it kindly fell to Rowe who put Charley through and the striker
made no mistake as he slotted the ball past Lindley.
The lively striker could have had his hat trick with only seconds to go but
his shot went wide.
The manager's view of the game
"I'm very disappointed. We had chances to win it - more than enough chances.
Atherstone had a couple of chances in the second half and scored from them.
"Second
half we defended poorly. We defended deeper and deeper. We should have pushed
up. With the stiff wind, any high ball would have ran through to James in goal,
but we defended too deep and caused ourselves trouble.
"Players on the park need to take some responsibility. The three at the
back were poor.
"I'm disappointed with tonight's result. We wanted to win and get into
the next round. It no excuse saying that Saturday's game is more important.
It wasn't. Until the final whistle tonight this game was more important.
"One thing is for sure, the players have made it very difficult for me
to pick the side for Saturday at Morecambe. There is a major doubt over some
of them. If they think they can just walk into the side for Saturday on tonight's
showing they've got another think coming.
"Unfortunately we have Ian Bluck suspended for Saturday and Micky Moore
has gone so we're right down to the bare bones. Jake Fairbrother is still injured.
We missed Jake tonight. Without him we loose the drive in the middle of the
park. He's a very important member of the team.
"I will need to take a few extra players for the Morecambe game just in
case. Jon Jenkinson and Lee Withers will probably be drafted into the squad.
Matt Moran is a squad member and I'm hoping Lee Westwood can shake off his cold
virus in time.
"It will be a different side out on Saturday because I'm very disappointed
with tonight.
"The squad is now threadbare. Sean Cleary I thought looked tired in the
second half. He trained with Derby County this morning and will probably play
for Kidderminster tomorrow. I know he's got to get his future sorted out but
it is not the best preparation for the Morecambe game.
"Morecambe are a good footballing side. They like to get the ball down
and pass it. We've got to be up for it or they will run right through us.
"I thought we lacked leadership on the park tonight. Someone who could
have controlled the game for us. At 1-0 it looked as if we would win comfortably
by two or three goals. We then let it go, Atherstone equalised, they got their
tails up and they went on and won it."
"As I have said I'm very disappointed."
Atherstone United (0) 2
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Scorers: Charley 74, 86 (Atherstone United); Woolley 59 (Gresley Rovers).
Atherstone United: Belford, Marlowe (Martin 67), Blair, Beazley, Barry,
Rutherford, Rowe, Middleton (Dowsing 67), Skitt, Charley, Doughty. Sub not used:
Andrews.
Gresley Rovers: Lindley, Bluck, Cheetham, Peters, Cleary, Evans, Wardle,
White, Woolley, Parkins (Bourne 75), Gray. Subs not used: McGinlay, Moran.
Rovers
Star Man: James Lindley - Did nothing wrong.
Referee: G Stretton (Enderby).
Attendance: 121
