Gresley Rovers vs Chesterfield
Rovers romp it – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Time was when Gresley Rovers would struggle to beat any Chesterfield side the North Derbyshire club chose to field for the annual Centenary Rose Bowl challenge.
Not so these days. Last season the Spireites were thrashed 5-1 and on Saturday, while the margin of victory was not so wide, Rovers’ win was just as emphatic.
And what made it all the more impressive was that it came against a side containing nine players who played regularly in the Third Division last term.
Gresley are no respecters of reputations, though, and dominated throughout, suggesting that claims that a genuine challenge for honours this season are far from hollow.
A sun-baked crowd was encouraged further by the style of Rovers’ win. The goals, both in the first half, were real gems.
The first came when Keith Hill, foraying from the left, hit a head-high cross towards the far post where the impressive Dave Beattie arrived with perfect timing to head across veteran keeper Jim Brown and into the far corner of the net.
Chesterfield mustered their best efforts to seek an equaliser but found Bob Aston and company in no mood to concede one. And when Dean Page appeared to handle accidentally as he sprawled in the area, referee George Stones brushed aside some vociferous appeals.
Instead it was Gresley who scored again after breaking skilfully and effectively from defence. Substitute Martin Mackenzie made the opening with a measured pass to Hill on the left and the frontrunner took the ball on into the box before picking his spot inside Brown’s left hand post.
There could have been more as Hill forced a fumbling save from Brown, then set up Ian Wells to shoot well over from a good position.
Wells did much better when he met Andy Moore’s corner with a powerful, glancing header that brought a good save on the line from Brown.
It seemed reasonable to expect a Chesterfield fightback after the interval as both teams showed remarkable fitness in the sweltering heat. But it was not to be, although Aston had to be at his best to stop Andy Morris’s point-blank effort with his legs.
Rovers could have had a third when young substitute Shaun Hession hit the bar when it seemed easier to score but Gresley’s name was on the Rose Bowl by now. Even when Bob Bloomer was presented with a golden chance of consolation two minutes from time he shot hopelessly over from six yards.
Gresley Rovers (2) 2
Chesterfield Town (0) 0
Scorers: Beattie 17, Hill 30.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Beattie, Perry, Denby (Oldershaw 17), Turner (Mackenzie 25), Page, Moore, Hill, Wells, Astley, Smith (Hession 63).
Chesterfield Town: Brown, Hewitt (Hoole 73), Henderson, Bloomer, Rogers, Hunter, Eley, Alleyene (Gibson 74), Morris, McGeeney, Thompson.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Dave Beattie.
Referee: G Stones (Walton).
Attendance: 250
