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Champions!
Story courtesy of
Gresley Rovers secured the Banks’s League championship with a 1-0 victory over Oldbury United at the Moat Ground last night.
The victory – with six league games still to play – sets up Rovers up for an historic treble with manager Frank Northwood insisting: “We’re going for it.”Rovers go to Wembley on May 4th for the FA Vase final and have a double date with Borrowash Victoria on May 16th and 21st as they attempt to lift the Derbyshire Senior Cup for a record-equalling fourth consecutive season.
And Northwood declared last night: “Frankie says the treble is on – and it is!”
For the veteran boss, last night’s win marked a pledge fulfilled.
He said: “I promised when came here that I would win Rovers the championship and I’ve waited six years for it. Over that period we’ve been the most successful side in the league without actually winning it. But the football has paid off and we’ve finally got our just desserts.
“There’s a hell of a lot gone on behind the scenes and I hope we get the reward of promotion.”
After seeing his side finish second and third in the last two seasons Northwood said: “Everybody has worn the shirt with pride, everyone has been a winner this season. That’s been the difference. Tonight Lovell was out and Adcock’s come in in his position and done great.”
Coach Steve Dolby said: “The title has always been on for us but it’s nice to win it. It’s been a long time coming and I feel a great sense of relief at the moment.
“There have been a lot of seasons when we’ve got in good positions and blown it – but this season we’ve done it in style.
“There’s definitely more consistency. The majority of the players have played together all season and it’s been a more settled side. Everyone in the squad has known what his job is.”
And skipper Richard Denby, who is likely to be presented with the Banks’s League championship shield at Monday’s home game with Halesowen Harriers, said: “It’s about time! The feeling is tremendous now. We’ve certainly won the title in style – tonight’s win puts us on 91 points and we’ve still got six games left.”