Wednesfield Social vs Gresley Rovers
Frank Northwood is facing one of the most critical examinations of his managerial calibre since he first swept into the Moat Ground almost three years ago.
Frank Northwood is facing one of the most critical examinations of his managerial calibre since he first swept into the Moat Ground almost three years ago.
Having steered his side into their strongest position ever in what become an annual championship challenge, he is suddenly having to confront the campaign’s first crisis.
A midweek home drubbing at the hands of Halesowen Harriers followed by Saturday’s dropped point at Wednesfield mean that for the first time this season the Moatmen are having to look anxiously over their shoulders.
While Gresley were struggling desperately to find their rhythm in the murk at Amos Lane, chief rivals Tamworth were predictably slamming seven goals past Wolverhampton United to guarantee that victory in their five games in hand will take them two points of Rovers.
That may yet prove to be a tall order and Rovers fans may feel that crisis is too stern a word when only five points have been dropped out of a possible 32, but the signs are that there will be very little margin for error in this particular title battle.
The task facing Northwood now is to recharge his squad’s batteries and produce a couple of the inspirational signings which have become his trademark.
Certainly he will know that the second 45 minutes on Saturday were as poor as anything Rovers had produced this season.
They showed enough character to bounce back from the potentially mortal blow struck in the sixth minute when Martin Dick’s uncharacteristic error allowed Keith Kelly the chance to put the home side ahead.
With Keith Hill eager to impress against his old club Rovers were soon into their customary stride and a couple of clear-cut openings had already been wasted by the time Jon Laws raced in to convert Hill’s knock-down of Neil Lovell’s cross in the 29th minute.
By the interval it hardly seemed to matter that referee Rowe had chosen to ignore a blatant hand-ball on the six yard line by a Wednesfield defender because the home side looked softened up and ready to be devoured.
But the expected move into top gear never materialised as Gresley failed totally to find any sort of pattern.
In midfield Joe Jackson wandered around like an out-of-work actor in search of a script, Steve Daley’s passes for once looked over-ambitious and the result was that Lovell and Laws were never able to get in behind the Wednesfield defence.
The series of long high balls that Rovers indulged in as the game wore on were comfortably dealt with by the tall Social central defenders and with the home side willing to battle for everything in an effort to impress new manager Terry Wharton Rovers looked less and less likely to score as the half wore on.
But if the stresses and strains of sustaining his side’s championship challenge as well as preparing for Saturday’s FA Vase assignment are beginning to tell on Northwood he isn’t showing it.
He said: “This result is not the end of the world by any means. I felt we could have been 3-1 up by half time and you have to blame the forwards for the chances we didn’t put away.”
Wednesfield Social (1) 1
Gresley Rovers (1) 1
Scorers: Kelly 6 (Wednesfield Social); Laws 29 (Gresley Rovers).
Wednesfield Social: Chandler, Dawson, Clarke, Sullivan, Sandlands, Dearn, Morris, Bradburn Brady 76), Kelly, Moore, Liggins.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Dick, Bromley, Skeemer, Dolby, Daley, Jackson, Laws, Devaney (Beresford 66), Hill, Lovell.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Steve Daley.
Referee: D Rowe (Shrewsbury).
Attendance: 93
