Tipton Town vs Gresley Rovers
Top of the flops! – Rex Page – Burton Mail
Tipton folk would have you believe that Britain’s leading marksman Steve Bull lives just over the road from the town’s football club – and that he even takes a look at some of the games.
But a player with just a fraction of Bull’s goalscoring capabilities would have been a Godsend to Gresley Rovers who were given a lesson in finishing by the lowly Black Country side in last night’s Banks’s League Premier Division clash.
Rovers were without top scorer Martin Devaney and included Burton Albion’s Gil Land and Bilston’s John Branch in their line-up.
And when Dean Page, still suffering from a thigh strain came on for the last 35 minutes and set about winning the game for Rovers single handed, it just about summed up the performance.
In a scrappy opening spell, Gresley were lucky to escape when Bob Cook’s shot bounced off the crossbar and into Bob Aston’s hands.
The keeper also had to be quick to keep out Dave Hanson’s powerful shot just moments later.
But the visitors had their chances too, Joe Jackson trying his hardest to drum up some enthusiasm among his lethargic colleagues.
His runs from midfield showed up Tipton’s inability to cope when attacked but sadly the ploy was seldom used.
Gresley’s best chance of the half came after 22 minutes when Neil Lovell raced through the entire Tipton defence only to watch his shot trickle past the post.
Tipton’s breakthrough came right at the end of the first period when George Andrews’ cross caught the Rovers defence napping and Ashley Warmer rose to head home.
As Gresley pushed forwarding search of an equaliser, they inevitably left gaping holes at the back and with 20 minutes left, Mark Fox’s header was flicked on by Warmer for Andy Day to slide home his shot past an unguarded Aston.
After Martin McKenzie had been replaced by Page, Gresley looked like threatening the Tipton goal but the Black Country side proved equal to the task.
Tipton Town (1) 2
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Scorers: Warmer 45, Day 69.
Tipton Town: Halford, Fox, Kelford, Mullander, Moroney, Powell, Cook, Hanson, Warmer, Day, Andrews (Hackett 65).
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Dick, Arthur, Land, Skeemer, Dolby, Jackson, McKenzie (Page 55), Morrison, Branch, Lovell.
Rovers man-of-the-match: Dean Page.
Referee: D Lee (Pelsall).
Attendance: 103
