Tamworth vs Gresley Rovers
Northwood looks to the future – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Frank Northwood watched his last chance of this season’s Banks’s League title gurgle down the Lamb ground drain, then started looking ahead to next year.
Confessed the veteran Rovers chief: “I’m disappointed because we could have won the game and the league. The lads gave it their all in the second half and we deserved something out of it. As it is we’ve got another year in the Banks’s League – but I’d like to think that by this time next year we’ll have it won.”
More immediately, Gresley must concentrate on coming through an intensive last two weeks of the season with maximum points to make sure of at very least third place in the table and a share of the sponsor’s cash.
Tamworth, meanwhile, are favourites for the title after Oldbury’s defeat at Halesowen. But they scarcely deserve to be such a position on Saturday’s showing.
Gresley dominated large chunks of an entertaining game full of good football and never containing the amount of venom that four bookings would suggest.
But the home side proved capable in the final analysis of doing what Rovers could not: putting the ball in the net. Mark Stanton was the man who grabbed the glory, popping up at the far post to convert Danny McCormack’s centre midway through the first half as Rovers defence for once gave up ground in the six-yard box.
The goal was a tragedy for Rovers hard-working and efficient defence in which Ray Skeemer was totally dominant in the air and Dean Page was, as usual, the epitome of cool composure.
Composure, though, was lacking at the opposite end, Jon Laws blasting a 10th minute opportunity skywards and Dave Morrison hitting a tame effort straight at the keeper after excellent work by Martin Devaney ten minutes later.
The former Oldbury leader was guilty again just before half time when he skilfully held off two defenders only to shoot over from 18 yards then, as the teams changed ends, Joe Jackson and Page both sent free kicks inches over the bar.
Tamworth (1) 1
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Scorer: Stanton 26.
Tamworth: Hemmings, Lockett, Brown, Atkins, Foote, Cartwright, Myers, Stanton, Rathbone, Gordon, McCormack. Sub: Gilmour.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Dolby, Bromley, Bottomley, Skeemer, Page, Jackson, Hill, Morrison, Devaney, Laws. Sub: Lovell.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Ray Skeemer.
Referee: G Banwell (Eccleshall).
Attendance: 931
