Gresley Rovers vs Derby Prims
Prims’ proper hiding – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers, who throughout their long history have never won the Derbyshire Senior Cup, set of in pursuit of this season’s trophy at a gallop last night.
Derby Prims’ challenge was effectively ended in the first 15 minutes, as Rovers gave no hint that their current run of success was coming to an end.
Prims were matched for effort and enthusiasm and left streets behind for class during that crucial opening period.
With almost as many Gresley players on the touchline as on the pitch, the current incumbents were in no doubt that they had to deliver the goods against the Central Midlands Premier side with whom Rovers vied for East Midlands Regional League honours.
Prims were under pressure from the off as Rovers won a flurry of early corners, top scorer Martin Devaney seeing a header come back off the line after just two minutes.
An early score looked inevitable but it took a moment of fatal hesitation between two defenders to open the way, Devaney nipping in and drawing the keeper before setting up Paul Acklam for a simple, close-range strike.
Prims were well under the cosh yet could have sneaked a shock equaliser when Ray Skeemer’s untypical careless backpass went straight to John Barker.
The winger had only keeper Bob Aston to beat but showed his unpreparedness by blazing hurriedly over the top.
Gresley punished the error immediately. Neil Lovell used intricate close control to fashion an opening on the right and Acklam tapped in his low cross.
The home side’s control was almost total but Prims battled to get their offside trap into working order. Once they had succeeded, a predictable and somewhat tedious pattern emerged as Gresley sought to find various ways around the obstacle.
With the linesman’s flag going up and down more often than the Empire State Building elevator play was drawn deeper into midfield although Acklam was denied his hat trick only by Devaney’s attempt to finish off his header over the keeper from point blank range which, incredibly, succeeded only in diverting the ball over the bar.
The striker atoned for his blunder five minutes before time, though, when he hit a powerful cross shot that keeper Dave Cotton could only palm out for impressive debutant Chris Hill to despatch into the net.
Prims gained a deserved consolation shortly after the break when Viv Rayson profited from a fortunate run of the ball to stride clear and lift a shot over the exposed Aston.
But with Acklam in particularly impressive form up front more Gresley goals were inevitable. Devaney spurned one good chance from his strike partner’s cross but made no mistake in the 66th minute when the same combination opened the way yet again.
More close things followed before Devaney wrapped things up with another simple goal seven minutes before time.
Gresley Rovers (3) 5
Derby Prims (0) 1
Scorers: Acklam 7, 15 Devaney 66, 83 C Hill (Gresley Rovers); Rayson 55 (Derby Prims).
Gresley Rovers: Aston Bottomley, Williams, Lovell (French 73), Dolby, Skeemer, Jackson, C Hill, Acklam, Devaney, Mackenzie (Philpott 59).
Derby Prims: Cotton, Barnes, Town, Prince (Bosworth 70), Baker, Brown, Rayson, Bacon, Hopka, MacBeth, Barker (Woodside 62).
Gresley man-of-the-match: Paul Acklam.
Referee: John Oldknow (Shelton Lock).
Attendance: 230
