Match Photos
Alfreton Town vs Gresley Rovers
Nightmare on North Street
Thanks
to two spectacular 'gifts' by Alfreton keeper Gresley Rovers had a half time
lead much against the run of the game.
Alfreton, eager to add more success to their already impressive season, dominated
the game almost from the off in front of their biggest home gate for some time.
Stuart Evans had been slotted in at right back and the surprise return of Barry
Woolley to the heart of Gresley's defence looked as if they would make a fight
of the 2nd leg of the final.
It all started so well when on 9 minutes a back pass by Brian Elam to home
keeper Ross Turner was completely missed the ball and much to the keepers embarrassment,
in front of a large Gresley following, it headed toward the goal where Chris
White made sure by smashing it into the net.
Alfreton pressed from the re-start and squared the game on 14 minutes. The
goal was a bit fortuitous. A corner was headed away by Owen James but only as
far as Ryan France whose shot at goal was deflected off Mick Godber's leg and
into the net wrong footing the helpless James Lindley.
Lindley was much the busier of the two keepers' with him having to make saves
from Godber and then from France after a slip by Andy Cheetham.
On 23 minutes Dave Whittaker had a goal ruled off side, again against the run
of the game.
As the home side continued to apply considerable pressure on the visitor's
goal it was Owen James who blocked a fierce drive by Jon Askey out for yet another
corner.
Lindley was called on again to save, at the second attempt, a stinging shot
from the dangerous Godber.
Gresley could not believe their luck on 43 minutes when the unfortunate Alfreton
keeper gifted them the lead in a piece of action as embarrassing as the first.
From
20 yards a some what tame shot by Aidan Callan was allowed to go through Turner's
hands and into the back of the net.
At this point many of the Gresley fans must have thought it was going to be
the Moatmen's night with that sort of luck, but it was not to be.
On 54 minutes Alfreton were back on even terms. Lindley was forced to concede
a corner from a Dolby free kick. As the ball was whipped into the area Steve
Heath was allowed a free header and he made no mistake.
Only two minutes later Godber had a chance to give the home side the lead for
the first time on the night. The Reds striker ran onto a free kick but with
only Lindley to beat he blasted the ball high over the bar.
For the remainder of the game it was almost constant pressure from Alfreton
with even more corners being conceded by the Gresley defence.
It
was from one of these many corners that France narrowly headed wide of the post.
An uncharacteristic short back pass by Richard Wardle was well collected by
Lindley at the feet of the on rushing Godber.
On 73 minutes Alfreton got the goal their play deserved. Dolby cleverly lifted
the ball into the air and then hit a stunning volley that beat Lindley and went
in just under the bar.
In the final 10 minutes Gresley did push forward but failed to even test the
keeper and in the end the whistle went and the Derbyshire Senior Cup was in
the hands of the team who thoroughly deserved it.
The manager's view of the match
"My views could be a re-run of Saturday really. We improved on Saturday
but we were playing in a cup final and should have improved for tonight.
"We were out fought, out run, out worked and that's the disappointing
bit. Their keeper gave us two lifelines but personally I think we had no right
to win the football match how that was played.
"What the reason behind that performance is I don't really know but I
will make sure I find out what it is and if things need to be changed then things
will be changed.
"We've got two league games to go and if I don't see 100 per cent effort
from everyone in those remaining games there will be big questions asked at
the end of the season.
"We didn't create anything tonight and was on the back foot for the whole
game. We tried to send them out with a bit of a game plan and how you want them
to play. Defensively I thought we did all right they smashed balls at us especially
in the first half and I thought we dealt alright with that although it was difficult
at times.
"The second half we should have been in the ascendancy but we left a lot
to be desired to be honest. We lacked quality and desire and I'm very disappointed.
The lads are disappointed and so they should be.
"There's an old footballing cliché 'You only get out what you put
in' and we didn't deserve to win the cup tonight.
"I've now got to take stock of what we've got with regards players. I've
learnt a lot more tonight about some of the players than I would have done over
a few months.
"I've got my ideas, what I want to do and performances like tonight's
make me ask even more questions."
Alfreton Town (1) 3
Gresley Rovers (2) 2
(Alfreton win 5 - 4 on aggregate)
Scorers: Godber 14, Heath 54, Dolby 73 (Alfreton Town); White 9, Callan
43 (Gresley Rovers).
Alfreton Town: Turner, Circuit, Elam, Brookes, Hobson, Highfield (Heath
49), France, Johnson, Godber, Askey (Goddard 82), Dolby. Sub not used: Hindley.
Gresley Rovers: Lindley, Evans, Cheetham, Wardle, Woolley, James, Lewsley
(Bourne 65), Callan, White (Tucker 72), Whittaker, Gray (Parkins 82).
Rovers
Star Man: Stuart Evans - tried to hold the back line.
Referee: P Carter (Ilkeston).
Attendance: 505
