Gresley Rovers vs Oldswinford
Full marks – Mike St John – Burton Mail
Frank Northwood could hardly conceal his delight after watching his Gresley side obliterate dreadful Oldswinford with an incredible ten-goal haul on Saturday.
The ebullient Rovers manager may not have experienced the greatest of weeks in the light of coach Phil Marandola’s sacking.
But all the behind-the-scenes drama was totally cast aside by Northwood’s succinct reaction after the dizziest of 90 minutes had seen Gresley equal their record in the Banks’s Brewery League.
Gresley last hit ten when they blitzed the now relegated Armitage at the Moat Ground on New Year’s Day , 1986.
Centre forward Paul Acklam reaped four goals, Kieron Smith came away with a hat trick and goals apiece from Andy Moore (penalty), Tracey Norton and substitute Steve Astley completed this most impressive of wins.
Any late-comers to the Moat Ground might have felt particularly peeved on this occasion as Northwood’s men had virtually sent torpid Oldswinford packing before the Black Country players had time to focus on their new surroundings.
The South Derbyshire club managed to race into a nigh-on unbelievable three goal lead in the space of six minutes.
Oldswinford might as well have packed their bags and made haste in the direction of the exit signs as firstly Kieron Smith rattled home a Richard Denby centre from the left.
No sooner had the out-of-sorts Oldswinford kicked off when they received further indignity with Smith running on to an Ian Wells through ball as goal keeper Martin Williamson completely mis-read the situation.
Acklam found the net with the same degree of ease when Smith created the opening. That left Williamson with the humility of sitting on his backside for the third time in rapid succession, and provided Rovers with a springboard to even greater heights.
But in a first half that saw Gresley capable of doubling or even trebling the score no further goals were added.
The visitors carved out only one real goal scoring opportunity when Steve Bryan galloped off on a solo run only for Martin Haskins to pick up the pieces with a firm intercepting tackle.
Gresley had a penalty appeal turned down even though there seemed to be clear intent on full back Lyness’s part to chop down Norton in the box.
The referee probably thought Oldswinford had suffered enough already when he waved play on, while in the closing minutes of a remarkable half Smith delayed his hat trick by heading a great chance from a Denby centre over a gaping goal.
By no means had Rovers lost their touch and within twelve minutes of the restart the score had doubled.
On 48 minutes a frantic goalmouth scramble led to an Andy Day handball and Moore rammed home the penalty via a post.
Acklam scored the next three to bring his own tally to four in this most one sided of games, with the best goal of the match arriving on the 56th minute to make it 6-0, with the centre forward powering home a header at the far post after a superb 30 yard cross from Page.
Gresley’s sparkling football continued. Norton added the eighth strike, and suddenly the crowd were shouting for more.
They were not to be denied as substitute Astley provided goal number nine leaving Smith to complete his hat trick ten minutes from time.
Gresley Rovers (3) 10
Oldswinford (0) 0
Scorers: Acklam 6, 50, 56, 61; Smith 2, 4, 80; Moore (pen) 48; Norton 67; Astley 77.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Perry, Dick, Denby, Haskins (Astley 63), Page, Moore, Norton, Acklam, Wells, Smith. Sub not used: Fearn.
Oldswinford: Williamson, Lyness, Wood, Day, Taylor, Billingham, Brassington (N Taylor 45), Bryan, Millinchip (M Taylor 71), Dean, Lowe.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Ian Wells.
Referee: P G Stokes.
Attendance: 280
