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Moat star in M-way horror
Story courtesy of
Gresley Rovers star Karl Austin was recovering today after a horror motorway smash that put him out of last night’s Banks’s League win over Wednesfield Social.
Reserve team manager John Wayte stepped in for Austin who was allowed home after hospital treatment for leg and neck injuries.And Rovers made light of the set back by thrashing ten-man Social 4-1 to go top of the Banks’s League for the first time since stepping up from the East Midlands Regional League ten seasons ago.
Austin was driving up from Brighton, where he is on contract work, when he was involved in a 60 mph collision on the M1. Rovers’ manager Frank Northwood, who was in touch with the highly-rated keeper shortly after his release from hospital, said this morning: “Karl is shaken up and he’s hurt his neck, but at the moment he reckons he’ll be fit for the away game at Tividale on Saturday.
“I asked John Wayte to step in for Karl because of his experience, and he did very well.”
And Northwood supported Lichfield referee Alan Brueton, who sent off Wednesfield striker Sylvester Cunningham after a 13th minute clash with Rovers skipper Steve Dolby.
“The ref had no choice but to send him off. Steve came out of it with a slight nose injury but it could have been very nasty.”
Brian Beresford took his goals tally for the season to 22, striking twice in three minutes, with Martin Devaney adding two more.