Gresley FC vs Melbourne Dynamo
Gresley FC 3 - 3 Melbourne Dynamo
(aet- Gresley won 4-2 on penalties)
Gresley Reserves reached the Derbyshire Divisional Cup South Final for the second season running after a penalty shootout win over Melbourne Dynamo.
Several changes to the side were made from the quarter-final tie at Mickleover RBL, in came Byron Musgrove in goal, Brad Payne in midfield from the youth team, captain Luke Clamp and Harry Lansdowne also returned to the starting line-up.
It was the away team who made the brighter start, in the first few minutes they were quicker, sharper to every ball, but Gresley soon got into the game.
It was Dynamo who got the opening goal when a quick move down their left channel resulted in a shot across Musgrove hit the far post and Brough was on hand to slide home.
Gresley tried in vain to restore parity before the break, but were unable to do so despite having the ball flash past the Melbourne goal several times.
After the break both sides continued to battle away, it took until the 63rd minute for the next goal of the game, as Zaki Evans burst forward from midfield into the box only to be tripped, from the resulting penalty Josh Dutton slotted home.
Straight after the goal it looked like Gresley would now score the next goal of the game but out of nowhere Melbourne retook the lead when some wayward passing along the Gresley backline resulted in an undercut backpass, and Brough charged down Musgrove kick and the ball rebounded into the empty net.
Gresley then made changes throwing on subistutes Connor Ward, James Shakespeare and Sam Hammerton with all three making a difference.
Hammerton equalised with his first touch on the 85th minute when he hammered home from close range after Dutton's low cross.
Two minutes later Hammerton played the ball back to Connor Ward at the edge of the area and he bent the ball round his marker, off the far post and into the net.
However, the home team's lead only lasted a minute when a ball played over the home defence and Allsop prodded home.
The resulting extra time failed to produce any more goals, so the tie was decided by a penalty shootout.
Gresley opened the shootout but Hughes' penalty was saved, however Dutton, Clamp, Cobas Ladrero and Clemson all scored and Melbourne hit a post with one penalty and Musgrove made a fine save from another, resulting in a 4-2 shootout victory for Gresley.
They will meet another Midland Regional Alliance Division One side in the final in Castle Donington Cobras, with a date and venue to be confirmed.
Gresley Goals: Dutton 63, Hammerton 85, Ward 87.
1. Byron Musgrove
2. Harry Hughes
3. Leandro Cobas Ladrero
4. Luke Clamp (C)
5. James Hemingway
6. Ryan Clemson
7. Brad Payne
8. Zaki Evans
9. Kane Lee
10. Josh Dutton
11. Harry Lansdowne
Subs:
12. Joe Bale (Not Used)
14. James Shakespeare (for 9, 78 mins)
13. Ian Parker (Not Used)
15. Sam Hammerton (for 11, 84 mins)
16. Connor Ward (for 7, 75 mins)
