Redditch United vs Gresley Rovers
Stalemate at the Valley
This was a much improved performance form the side that had suffered two consecutive
defeats at Atherstone and Morecambe respectively.
With the return of Simon Tucker to the Gresley fold hopes were high that they
could come away from the Valley with all three points and they were almost fulfilled
very early in the match.
Gresley were awarded a corner almost from the kick off when Tucker forced Quentin
Townsend to block his shot after a Sean Cleary cross.
The visitors applied pressure and Stuart Evans went close with a header from
Chris Gray's corner and within minutes, Andy Bourne rounded two defenders but
Neil Olden easily saved his shot.
On 12 minutes Redditch's defence were at sixes and sevens when a short corner
from Richard Wardle found Chris Parkins but his shot, hit on the turn, was again
blocked by Olden.
Redditch had few chances on goal as Gresley pressed but they did have one good
chance when a slip by Evans allowed Mark Swann to shoot but his shot was deflected
for a corner. Debutante Saul Deeney easily held the resultant corner.
On 32 minutes Deeney was called on again. This time he raced off his line and
cleared the danger on the edge of his area after Swann had beaten the offside
trap.
Two minutes later Bourne should have opened the scoring for Gresley after he
had been put clear by Wardle but his shot came off the foot of Olden and ran
agonisingly past the post.
With a minute of the first half remaining, Lewsley put a superb ball through
to Parkins whose cross was met by Gray. He smashed in a shot, which was deflected
off Bourne and looked goal bound until Richard Beale managed to hook the ball
of the line.
The second half began as the first half had finished with Gresley pressing
forward looking for the goal their play deserved.
On 47 minutes Parkins went close again after a good pass from Ian Bluck. He
left the keeper helpless but his shot went narrowly the wrong side of the post.
On 54 minutes Gresley were denied a penalty when Bourne was clearly tripped
in the area by Beale but the referee waved away their appeals.
Tucker picked up a ball that had been charged down by Ian Bluck and he smashed
his shot against the bar and the ball found Gray whose cross was hit first time
by Wardle but Olden pulled off a brilliant save and tipped the ball around the
post.
Gresley continued to apply almost non-stop pressure on the charmed Redditch
goal and almost took the lead when Olden fumbled a back header from Parkins
but the keeper manager to grab the ball at the second attempt.
Redditch almost stole an undeserved lead on 80 minutes but as Deeney raced
off his line Paul Danks' shot flew wide of the post.
With only a few minutes remaining Clearly could have wrapped up all three points
for the visitors but after a terrific run of almost the length of the pitch
he fired his shot straight into the arms of a grateful Olden.
Titterton's remarks on the match
"The performance tonight was a vast improvement all round. And I thought
Simon and Saul did very well.
"Saul's handling was very good, he came out well and coped easily with
everything thrown at him.
"Simon improved the side and if we had given him more service he would
certainly have scored tonight.
"We should have had a penalty when the lad tripped Andy but it was not
our night. We hit the bar and had a few efforts go close - but we just couldn't
get the goal.
"We should have won the game we had our chances and I thought the players
lifted themselves after the last two games."
Redditch United (0) 0
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Redditch United: Olden, Byrne, Beale (Jackson 67), Knight, Townsend,
Field, Shaw, Swann, Danks, Booth, Harris. Subs not used: West, Hackett.
Gresley Rovers: Deeney, Bluck, Lewsley (Peters 90), Cleary, Woolley,
Evans, Bourne (Westwood 84), Wardle, Tucker, Parkins (White 87), Gray.
Rovers
Star Man: Barry Woolley - back where he belongs.
Referee: A Newell (Bristol).
Attendance: 133
