Gresley Rovers vs Rushall Olympic
Top class - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
It was easy to stand back and admire the football at Gresley Rovers' Moat Ground on Saturday.
Two sides committed to playing the game in its purest form served up what was, for a goalless draw, a highly entertaining encounter.
Only a glance at the league table afterwards revealed why the game was not all that enjoyable for Rovers and their title-hungry followers.
For Rushall, now breathing down Rovers' necks in the Banks's championship chase, the two club's second goalless draw of the campaign was an eminently satisfying return for their afternoon's toils. For Rovers it was simply a bitter pill. The road to the title - albeit with many a furlong to run - now looks decidedly more uphill than it did.
Titles are won on victories, not draws, and victories are earned with goals. Gresley, for all their superior possession, rarely looked like getting one of those. Rushall, as Rovers chief Frank Northwood observed afterwards: "Had their share of the ball but didn't have a shot at goal all afternoon."
That was almost true. Striker John Winwood did have an effort of sorts when winger David Liggins' pass somehow squirmed its way into his path through a well-populated Rovers rearguard, but with Bob Aston racing from his line the effort was poor and wide. Carl Page produced more accuracy when Winwood teed him up just before half time, but Aston barely had to move to collect the ball comfortably.
Rovers, meanwhile, had an equally sorry tale to tell at the opposite end. Martin Haskins was guilty of missing the best chance, heading wide of a gaping target after Graham Jones had headed on Bobby Evans' deflected shot.
Jones himself put a header wide, Martin Dick curled a shot just off target after splendid approach play by Jones, Ian Wells and the back-to form Richard Denby, then Wells rolled an inviting pass into Jones' path but the shot flew over.
There was the promise of better things as Gresley began kicking down the slope after the interval, and with Denby orchestrating affairs from the depths of his own half Rushall were stretched.
Bobby Evans threatened briefly on the right before being replaced by Kieron Smith as the chase for goals became more forlorn, Jones shot firmly but too close to the keeper and Denby sent a screamer inches over from 20 yards.
Watching wounded Paul Acklam and Tracey Norton must have ached for action as Gresley produced a barnstorming finish but there was no-one to find the net. The final disappointment came when stand-in midfielder Keith Williams, after an effective performance in the thick of the action, raced clear in the final minute onto Denby's pass only to whip his shot disappointingly wide.
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Rushall Olympic (0) 0
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Bottomley, Dick, Denby, Haskins, D Page, Moore, Evans (Smith 65), Williams, Wells (Perry 70), Jones.
Rushall Olympic: Chandler, Beattie, Bradburn, Dawson, Morris, Wakefield, Minton, C Page, Winwood, Comerford, Liggins (P Page 80). Sub not used: Bestall.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Richard Denby.
Referee: B T Millership (Mile Oak).
Attendance: 488
