Gresley Rovers vs Eastwood Hanley
Aston chiller! – Rex Page – Burton Mail
Skipper Bob Aston could be facing a tooth-and-nail fight for his Gresley Rovers first team place.
A week ago Aston was the unchallenged holder of the goalkeeper’s jersey; apparently the one man guaranteed a place in manager Frank Northwood’s plans.
But a pre-season sortie at Atherstone ended with Aston being transported to hospital for treatment to a shoulder injury.
Now, completely out of the blue, a real threat has emerged in the shape of a 19-year-old Simon Harrison.
Harrison, a last minute recruit after some resourceful work by youth team boss Brian Bignall, was one of the stars of Gresley’s Johnson Cup triumph over Burton Albion at Eton Park.
And at the Moat Ground last night the former Chesterfield youngster produced more heroics as Rovers saw off the considerable challenge of Northern Premier Leaguers Eastwood Hanley.
“The boy kept us in the game in the first half,” was the verdict of Northwood. “I shall be having words with him to see if we can keep him here.”
With Richard Denby and Graham Fearn both absent from midfield, Rovers found themselves back-pedalling against a typically well-drilled potteries outfit.
But Harrison was equal to the task, climaxing an excellent display with superb saves to deny Neil Dutton, Mick Bates and Mick Cartwright.
It was a different story after the interval as a crop of half-time substitutions turned the tide in Gresley’s favour.
Steve Astley met Neil Lovell’s cross with a crushing right foot shot that flew inches too high; Ian Stoat scrambled Jack Oldershaw’s shot round a post after a flowing four-man move and the increasingly threatening Keiron Smith went desperately close to forcing in a centre from trialist Chris Craddock.
Gresley’s growing pressure was duly rewarded in the 78th minute. Astley’s through ball found Ian Wells lurking in the area and the former Hereford striker grabbed his first goal for the club with a rising right-foot shot which looped into the back of the net from Stoat’s fingertips.
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Eastwood Hanley (0) 0
Scorer: Wells 78.
Gresley Rovers: Harrison, Beattie, Perry, Dick, Page, Dolby, Moore, Secker, Hill. Smith, Wells. Subs: Astley, Lovell, Oldershaw.
