Gresley Rovers vs Harrison's
Disappointing! - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers' boss Frank Northwood swallowed his second home disappointment in the space of three days on Saturday - then rounded on his Moat Ground critics.
"My daughter's in tears because she's heard the things that some of the fans have been calling me. Yet we murdered Harrisons in the second half," Northwood growled after a flat and lifeless performance against an indisputably poor set of visitors.
Yet he had a point when he complained: "Their keeper didn't have a clue but he still stopped everything."
True, the somewhat unorthodox performance of Gary Kitson between the sticks had been Harrisons one saving grace at times, yet one could not help but reflect on how Gresley again seemed poised to wave goodbye to another Banks's League title through their inability to consistently put away vastly inferior sides.
Main targets for the fan's wrath was recent strike force addition Dave Morrison, who was often left to fight a lone cause against Harrisons' back line that was quite happy to spend the afternoon fraying the nerves of any neighbouring gardener whose greenhouse was within ball-booting distance of the Moat Ground.
Harrisons' negativity was redoubled after they had taken a scarcely deserved lead after 35 minutes. The goal was a tragedy for keeper Bob Aston, who saved superbly to thwart the onrushing John Glaister, and for full back Mark Bromley, who swept Roger Taylor's shot from the rebound off the line.
The ball was only half-cleared and when Steve Bestall drove a hard, low cross into the middle Taylor stuck out his boot again to leave Aston helpless.
Rovers returned to their previously-established position of total territorial domination but frustratingly failed to string anything together in the last 18 yards of the pitch, where flu victim Martin Devaney and the holidaying Gary Stevens were both sadly missing.
Even the cultured promptings of Joe Jackson on the right and another near faultless display at the back from Dean Page failed to inspire a fightback until Keith Hill's aggressive running in the penalty area set up Jon Laws for an 18-yard equaliser on 49 minutes.
More chances came Gresley's way with Morrison and Hill narrowly failing to reach Jackson's deep cross from the right and full back Kevin Edwards hoofing the ball off the line after Kitson's handling had failed under the inspection of Jackson's right boot.
But the feeling that, yet again, it was not to be Gresley's day turned into a conviction when Hill's piledriver hit the keeper on the shoulder and flew off to safety.
There was even a chance for Harrisons to grab a totally unlikely victory in the last minute when Aston's punched clearance fell to the feet of Bestall with a goal unguarded but he shot wide from 18 yards.
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Harrisons (1) 1
Scorers: Laws 49 (Gresley Rovers); Taylor 35 (Harrisons).
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Dick, Bromley, Bottomley, Dolby, Page, Jackson, Laws, Morrison, Hill, Lovell. Sub: Williams.
Harrisons: Kitson, Tongue, Edwards, Meeson, Crook, Sheppard, Glaister, Taylor, Folland, Bestall, Sparrock. Sub: Mair.
Rovers man-of-the-match: Dean Page.
Referee: D Lee (Pelsall).
Attendance: 265
