Tividale vs Gresley Rovers
Three times within a week Gresley have had to do battle against Black Country sides in their bid for a top-three spot in the Banks’s League Premier Division – and last night was no exception at Tividale.
Needing maximum points to keep alive also their slender hopes of promotion to the Beazer Homes League, the Moatmen again fielded a number of players on loan from other sides in a bid to secure victory.
But it was the brilliance of two regular, Joe Jackson and Dean Page that steered Rovers to victory.
The opening exchanges as both sides fought to come to terms with the conditions. Then, with the home keeper looking tentative, it was the woodwork that came to Tividale’s rescue – not once – but three times.
First to be denied was Clive Arthur who saw his lob rebound off the cross bar.
After 18 minutes it was the midfielder again who could only watch as his shot thundered off the post to John Branch but before the ball stopped bobbling around in front of him, Anthony Ryan scooped it away from the Bilston forward.
To bring the half to a close another borrowed player – Belper Town’s Jack Oldershaw – watched as his shot struck the crossbar moments before the interval.
Things looked little better soon after the restart when Martin Devaney, hit by more injury problems, was replaced by John Bottomley – and what an effect the replacement was to have on the game.
On the hour, Neil Lovell knocked the ball inside for Bottomley who in turn steered it through a static Tividale defence for Jackson to slide his shot past the keeper.
Two minutes late, ‘Dale’s Peter Bradley almost headed into his own net under pressure from Branch. But it was a disastrous own goal at the other end that gave the Black Country outfit hope with just 14 minutes to play.
Aston seemed to have Kenny Haywood’s cross covered, but Bottomley decided to take matters into his own hands and promptly headed past his stranded keeper.
It took until the 84th minute for Gresley to bag the winner, Branch racing through the defence and making the most of his chance after Tividale keeper, Adams had fumbled at his feet.
Throughout the game, Page showed his brilliance at the back, keeping the defence solid under threat from the Black Country youngsters.
In the dying minutes he twice saved the Moatmen, first heading behind with the home strikers lining up behind him.
And on the final whistle, he did enough to hustle Harrison off the ball after the red-headed forward had pushed to the edge of the box.
Tividale (0) 1
Gresley Rovers (0) 2
Scorers: Bottomley (og) 76 (Tividale); Jackson 60, Branch 84 (Gresley Rovers).
Tividale: Adams, Blunt, Nokes, Bradley, Ryan, Kettle, Hayward, Harrison, Hill, Clinton, Bennett, Lowe.Sub Cecil Bennett.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Dick, Mallaburn, Oldershaw, Dolby, Page, Jackson, Arthur, Branch, Devaney (Bottomley 51), Lovell.
Rovers man-of-the-match: Dean Page.
Referee: P Rejer (Tipton).
Attendance: 113
