Gresley FC vs Continental Star
Gresley Reserves moved into second spot in the Midland Football League Reserve Division after a 3-1 victory over a tough Continental Star Reserves' outfit.
Max Atkin returned in goal, as did Harry Hughes at right back, Callum Porter came back into the starting line-up at centre back and Sam Hammerton was back in upfront.
Gresley were on the front foot from the very beginning forcing the Stars back deeper and deeper.
They had to wait until the 12th minute of the game though to make the breakthrough, Zaki Evans was bought down thirty yards from goal, Leandro Cobas Ladrero stepped up and curled the ball round the wall into the near corner, leaving the keeper rooted.
Gresley continued to dominate the ball but Continental Star then had a few chances in the break, the best coming when a Stars striker made a clever run off the ball across the Gresley defence, beating the offside trap but when released could only blaze over the bar.
The Stars did have the ball in the net only for it to be ruled out for offside when a ball played in behind the Gresley defence was lifted over Atkin by a Stars winger.
Gresley doubled their lead in the 35th minute when the home team pressed high up the pitch and Luke Clamp came out with the loose ball and let fly with a shot from distance that the visiting keeper didn't deal with and Dutton followed up to smash home on the rebound.
The last chance of the first half came when Evans played in Hammerton with a lovely lofted pass over the left back, Hammerton got the ball down but his shot just went wide of the far post despite the keeper being beaten.
The start of the second period was far more even with the visitors seeing more of the ball. But it was Gresley who grabbed the crucial third goal of the game when the hardworking Kane Lee beat the full back in the right channel only to be cynically fouled right on the edge of the box. Cobas Ladrero again stepped up with his trusty left foot and whipped the ball into the net off the far post.
Continental Star did get a goal back a few minutes later when a deep cross from the left wasn't dealt with by neither the home defence or keeper and it allowed a simple header to find the unguarded net.
Zaki Evans then forced a decent stop from the Stars keeper when he hit a sweetly struck dipping volley from 25 yards.
Gresley then held out to see themselves grab the three points despite some late pressure from their visitors.
Goals: Cobas Ladrero 12 mins, 59 mins, Dutton 35 mins
1. Max Atkin
2. Harry Hughes
3. Leandro Cobas Ladrero
4. Luke Clamp (C)
5. James Hemingway
6. Callum Porter
7. Zakim Evans
8. Zachary Hill
9. Kane Lee
10. Josh Dutton
11. Sam Hammerton
12. Ryan Clemson (for 11 - mins)
14. Joe Bale (not used)
15. Connor Ward (for 8 - mins)
16. Brad Payne (not used)
