Gresley Rovers vs Rugby United
On a wet and blustery evening at the Moat Ground Gresley Rovers and Rugby United fought out a hard earned point each with both sides having chances to steal all three points.
The result was perhaps, in the end, the correct one as neither side deserved to win or lose the game.
The first half was, to be honest a non-event with each side cancelling each other out as the defences had the upper hand.
Rugby’s tactics seemed to be a high ball over the Gresley defence which the home back line comfortably dealt with and Gresley’s attempts at getting behind the visiting defenders snuffed out just as comfortably.
There were arguably no real attempts on either goal for the whole of the first 45 minutes.
However, after the interval saw a completely different game with both side attacking and making chances.
Rugby came out with all guns blazing and within 5 minutes of the restart had the first clear cut chance of the night.
Nathan Thomas had made a telling run down the left and his pass to Craig Dutton was fired just wide of Gresley’s goal.
Gresley’s keeper James Lindley, a spectator for most of the first half, was called on to make a superb save from a long range shot by Danny Hall. Lindley chose to punch the ball but it fell only as far as Chris Freestone who took the ball away from the area, turned and put in a pass to Dutton but the midfielder’s shot was deflected away for a corner.
On 50 minutes Rugby took the lead. A spell of pressure by the visitors caused the Gresley defence much concern and they only half cleared the ball. Thompson gathered the ball and from 30 yards hit a cracking shot into the top corner of the net with a surprised Lindley rooted to the spot.
This was the wake up call that Gresley needed and were unlucky not to have had a penalty on 53 minutes when Jamie Barrett was clearly pushed in the back as he prepared himself for a header inside the area and the ball was put out for a corner.
Mark Peters swung in the ball and Paul Tomlinson put his header straight into the arms of visiting keeper Jason Pearcey when either side of him would have given Gresley an equaliser.
On 56 minutes Rugby almost doubled their tally when a mistake by Andy Cheetham presented Freestone with the ball. The striker’s fierce strike had to be gathered at the second attempt by Lindley.
Gresley began to put pressure on Rugby’s defence with both Gary White and Cheetham making telling runs behind the defence. It was one of these runs that produced Gresley’s well crafted and deserved equaliser on 61 minutes.
Cheetham made one of his trade mark runs down the left and as he drew the defenders out he put a pin-point pass through to White and from the bye-line his weighted cross was met by Tomlinson who got in front of Craig Herbert to power a header into the net.
The visitor’s refused to lie down and created a couple of chances with both Lindley and Cheetham doing well to deny them.
On 70 minutes Rugby had a penalty appeal turned down after White was adjudged to have got the ball in the area by the referee.
On 75 minutes Gresley had the chance to steal all the points. Another telling run down the left by Cheetham resulted in the defender sending an across field pass to Richard Wardle on the right wing. Wardle then sent in a low cross to Tomlinson but under pressure from Andy Commander the striker unfortunately sent his shot over the bar.
For the last ten minutes it was Gresley making the chances as Rugby appeared to be playing for a share of the points by playing long balls into the corners whenever they had the chance.
Peters saw a shot go wide and Barrett pushing up from the midfield also went close.
As the referee blew his whistle neither side could argue that the result was the right one on the night.
The manager's view
"It was a frustrating game. If we had upped the tempo second half we'd have got a result.
"They hit us with a good goal; a good strike, whether the keeper should have saved it or not!
"Then it was just a matter of us trying to claw one back. I thought our goal was a good goal, well worked. Andy Cheetham did well and so did Gary White. His delivery was very good and our front man got across their centre half and it was a good finish.
"I was pleased with the goal but it was frustrating after that. We fell into the trap of trying to get the ball from back to front too quickly and the quality was nowhere good enough really.
"We seemed to loose our shape and we got a bit ragged in the middle of the park. At least we got a point but I'd have more pleased with three. If we'd have played to our potential I think we would have got three points.
"Credit to them, they dug in and made it hard for us. They defended very well and then they hit us with numbers on the break, which we had an idea that they would.
"Stuart Evans had to come off again because he'd taken a knock on his leg. He's playing when he's not 100 per cent fit. I'll have to have a look at that because we can't keep playing a player who is not 100 per cent fit and is coming off every other game.
"He had a knock tonight and it seems a reoccurrence of his old injury. It's some kind of deep-seated bruise and as soon as he takes a knock on it he struggles.
"With regard to Neil Kitching's injury, there as not been a real diagnosis as to what the problem is. For your knee to swell like it did for Neil on Saturday there has got to be some trauma in the joint and he needs to find out what it is. Is it associated with the broken leg he suffered or has he jarred it? It's great that he's walking around and the knee feels strong and secure and hopefully it's not as bad as we first thought. But we need to wait and see why it did swell up like it did.
"Chris White is having an operation on his injury on Thursday morning so he'll be out for probably six to eight weeks with that. He went over on his ankle a few times last season and it caused a loose piece of bone that is causing his problems. It's got to be removed and the cartilage will have to grow again. At least he knows what the problem is and he's looking forward to putting it all behind him because it's dragged on.
"With regards to Saturday's game it's a massive game. It's a long journey; a tough team and we'll see what we're made of when things are stacked against us.
"It's nice that we've come from a goal behind tonight because it's the first time we've done that.
"It'll be a tester because they are a good side. We've had a bit of a good run and we'll have to go and see what comes of it. I've just said to the lads in the dressing room enjoy it while you can; there's no pressure on you just enjoy it. The pressure is when you are at the bottom of the league and you have to win to stay out of relegation.
"Playing to go top of the league and playing the top teams, that isn't stressful. They should go out and enjoy themselves."
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Rugby United (0) 1
Scorers: Tomlinson 61 (Gresley Rovers), Thompson 50 (Rugby United).
Gresley Rovers: Lindley, Wardle, Cheetham, Peters, Bluck, Evans (James 45), Barrett, Crawford, Tomlinson (Bourne 81), Smith (Alexander 72), G White. Subs not used: Hopkins, Clarke (gk).
Rugby United: Pearcey, Moran, Thompson, Hart, Herbert, Commander, Hall, Dutton, Freestone (Milner 90), Dunkley, Mewin (Squire 73). Subs not used: Frogatt, Dean.
Rovers Star Man: Jamie Barrett – on his second half performance especially.
Referee: S Cooke (Mansfield).
Attendance: 376
