Match Photos
Gresley Rovers vs Bedworth United
They say a game can turn on just one incident and one of those happened in this battle of a football match.
The pitch had been subject to a pitch inspection at 12.20pm by a local referee and passed fit but when the match referee turned up he was concerned that one of the goal mouths was still frozen. But, after consulting both managers and keepers, the referee agreed to the game being played.
Gresley opened brightly and a good run by Andy Bourne down the right forced a corner in the first minute.
On 5 minutes Chris Gray went close with a delightful chip that went just wide of the post and just three minutes later Stuart Evans headed wide from a free kick by Jamie Barrett as Gresley continued to press forward.
On 12 minutes Gary White released Andy Cheetham who made a terrific run down the left flank and fired in a low cross that Gray put over the bar.
Bedworth’s first attempt on goal can after some panic in the Gresley defence as they tried to clear Darren Blackett’s corner. White attempted to clear at the far post but his clearance ballooned into the air and Lindley was on hand to punch the ball clear as Gresley managed to clear the danger.
A quick break by Bedworth on 21 minutes resulted in Martin Crowley firing wide when well placed and two minutes later they went close again.
Craig Middleton managed to win the ball from Evans midway in the Gresley half and his pinpoint pass put player manager Ian Drewitt through and his vicious shot from 25 yards was superbly tipped over by Lindley.
On 26 minutes Bourne made another good run into the Bedworth box and McCauley Iyayi did well to block the shot for a corner.
White then hit a shot from 20 yards that went straight at Iyayi on 33 minutes.
On 35 minutes Richard Wardle ran in from the right and hammered a shot just wide of the post and two minutes later Neil Kitching had a golden chance to end his scoring drought but his header, from a White cross, was weak and dealt with by the keeper easily.
Bedworth started the second half looking for an early strike and Lindley was called on twice to make first a save from Tom Cudworth and then to block a shot as Bedworth pushed for a goal with only 5 minutes gone.
Then came the incident that turned the game in Gresley favour.
On 54 minutes Lindley made a terrific save to tip over a goal bound shot by Drewitt from the edge of the box. Then, to everyone’s amazement, the referee awarded a goal kick instead of a corner. Lindley hit a long ball down route one which was flicked on by Kitching to Bourne who ran clean through the static Bedworth defence and gave Iyayi no chance as he coolly flicked the ball into the goal.
Things then got heated on 58 minutes when Mark Peters was late on Drewitt who retaliated causing all the players from both sides to join in the melee. As referee Naylor struggled to gain control he consulted his assistants and began to deal with the offenders.
He booked Peters for the initial foul and then showed the red card to both Drewitt and Gray for retaliation.
With the Bedworth player/manager off the field Bedworth seemed to loose heart and Gresley could easily have had another couple of goals.
On 66 minutes Bourne went close but his shot flew just over. Five minutes later Wardle went agonisingly close again. He picked up the ball on the edge of the area and fired a shot that whistled just over the bar.
Kitching put a header just wide of the post and on 80 minutes substitute Gary Smith received a ball from Bourne but he failed to control it and the danger was cleared.
With only 5 minutes of normal time left Barrett put Bourne through with a delightful chip and Bourne’s lob easily beat the advancing Iyayi but was just too high and cleared the bar.
The manager's view
"It was an eventful afternoon! It started off with the pitch and then the floodlights then the sendings off but at the end of things its three points and another clean sheet so I'm quite happy.
"We've played better but we dug in and made it difficult for them.
"With regards the bookings and sendings off I though one of their lads was lucky to stay on when he grabbed Chris Gray round the neck then appeared to head butt him but the ref chose to let that one go. But the ref had no choice when he sent of the two players. I didn't see what Chris Gray had supposed to have done but I had a word with the linesman and he said he kicked out at their player. I went to see him afterwards and he said 'I don't make things up for the sake of it. I don't like getting players sent off, I don't want to see players sent off but I saw him kick out at another player and we have to take action against that.'
"Chris's sending off is something we will have to deal with as a club. It's disappointing. I've just said to him in the dressing room that it's taken a long, long time to get his place back. 'You've been out on loan and you've come back and spoilt yourself'…it know looks like he will miss three games because it was a straight red. It was silly there was no need to get involved.
"The goal was fortunate really. I thought the ref made a wrong decision when he awarded a goal kick instead of a corner after James Lindley appeared to have tipped the ball over the bar from Ian Drewitt's shot. But those things change games and I can appreciate how Bedworth feel because I would have felt the same.
"But, at the end of the day you have to just get on with the game, accept decisions whether they are right or wrong. They were lucky to finish with 10 men. They could have had a couple sent off so what the officials give with one hand they take away with the other so it evens itself out really. I believe it does anyway.
"But, it's another clean sheet, another win and it keeps us in the regions that we want to be. It sets us up for Tuesday, if it's on, and the big game next Saturday against Solihull.
"Craig Hopkins could be back in the squad but I don't think Ian Bluck will be fit for next Saturday."
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Bedworth United (0) 0
Scorer: Bourne 54.
Gresley Rovers: Lindley, Wardle, G White, Parkinson, Evans, Cheetham, Barrett, Peters, Bourne (Timms 90), Kitching (Smith 77), Gray. Subs not used: Slater, Moran, Sheils (gk).
Bedworth United: Iyayi, McGregor, Cudworth, Everitt, Hood (Williams 75), L Middleton, Beckett (Wilson 68), C Middleton (McVarish 75), Drewitt, Ross, Crowley. Subs not used: Gibson, Pringle.
Rovers Star Man: Andy Bourne – scored one, should have had more.
Referee: D Naylor (Sutton-in-Ashfield).
Attendance: 372
