Atherstone United vs Gresley Rovers
Team: Pemberton, Mawbey, Gadsby, Cox, Dunn, Williams, Smith, Heer, Rowell,Hall, Farrell, Holmes, Blair, Yearsley, C.Smith, Macedo.
Gresley Reserves visited Atherstone Town only needing to not lose by two clear goals to secure a place in the semi-final of the Challenge Bowl for the second consecutive year. Added to the squad were two youth team players
Matt Holmes and Chris Smith.
Gresley began with a 3-5-2 as Joe Miller was injured and Paul Grosse had recently moved on. Gresley began very brightly, but as has been our down fall so many times this season we have failed to take our chances. An excellent cross by Andy Dunn flashed past the far post with the out
stretched Dave Williams just failing to get a touch. Lewis Gadsby saw a good header from a Dave Williams corner cleared off the line. Suki Heer hit the bar, Greg Smith the post and the keeper made some good stops. Santos
Farrell also came very close on a couple of occasions.
Eventually though the dead lock was broke when Kye Hall turned well and drove a low twenty-yard shot into the far corner. This should have been the time to push on but instead Gresley, possibly feeling their semi-final place
was booked, took things easy. Atherstone with only their second attack of the game put in a quality cross which was easily headed home.
So, 1-1 at the break. I had counted eight clear cut chances for Gresley to their two and yet we were level at the break.
To be honest second half belonged to Atherstone, with nothing to lose they went for it. We changed back to a 4-4-2 and were holding on for most of the second half. It was Atherstone's turn to hit the post, a couple of great
clearances from Gadsby and Mawbey, combined with some fine Pemberton saves kept the score the same.
Eventually as the game drew to a close, Gresley finally came back into it. A turn of pace from Macedo almost brought a goal and Hall also came close again.
The game finished 1-1 and Gresley Reserves had done enough to book a place in the semi-final of the Challenge Bowl. However, unless these kind of performances are put to bed, it'll be as far as we go. On a positive note, after losing our first game in this competition to Chasetown, when we were much the better side. We have put together a very good string of results and performances to get into the position we are in now.
