Match Report  |  Gresley Rovers vs Kimberley Miners Welfare

It took Rovers almost all of the first half and going a goal down against the run of the game to really get going. The last time the two sides met was back in July when Rovers had to claw themselves back from a three-goal half time deficit to claim a point.

Thankfully, Rovers were only one goal down after half hour but leveled with three minutes remaining of the half.

Rovers had started well enough with Ryan King having a shot saved by the keeper. Ten minutes later more chances arrived with Jamie Sleigh having a shot saved followed by him firing across the face of the goal and Fun Barker having a shot on goal deflected away for a corner but still they were not finding the back of the net.

Then, on 32 minutes Kimberley took the lead. A high ball into the area saw Rovers keeper Louis Turner dally and Nathaniel Peters nipped in to nod the ball into the empty net.

Harrrison Solomon had took a knock a few minutes earlier but on 38 minutes he succumbed to his injury to be replaced by Eli Christie. With just three minutes remaining of the first half Rovers were looking for a goal and it arrived when Nathan Banton made a good run down the left and his cross into the area was met by Sleigh who made no mistake smashing the ball past keeper Oliver Cash.

Rovers gave the visitors a golden opportunity to retake the lead on the stroke of half time. A ball was passed back to Turner who inexplicably caught the ball, and the referee awarded a free kick inside the area which Rovers blocked to keep the scores level at the break.

The home side came out on the front foot and took the lead almost from the kick off. Banton was involved again down the left but this time it was Barker he found with a pass who then cut inside before curling a superb shot into the far corner giving Cash no chance.

Kimberley still had their moments and Turner needed to be alert to deny them another goal making a good save but it was Rovers who were now taking charge of the game. Cash made two good consecutive blocks but could do nothing to prevent Sleigh adding goal number three from a good flowing move from out of defence down the left flank and Sleigh finishing the move off by beating Cash.

Both sides made changes with Kai Moore and Toby Thompson replacing Oliver Seeby and Toby Thompson for Kimberley and Dylan Hunniford and Jenson Cooper replacing Ryan King and Jake Meakin.

The changes didn’t subdue Rovers’ charge looking to extend their advantage. Barker was making a good run through the middle and into the area before hitting a powerful shot that took the slightest of deflections before ending up in the net. Cooper who had been on the pitch for only a few minutes went close firing narrowly wide of the target.

Rovers were piling on the pressure for the final few minutes, and it was Sleigh almost adding to his tally firing a low shot wide, one across the face of goal and after a run down the left firing a shot straight at Cash.

In the end it was a job well done.