Gresley Rovers vs Stapenhill
A depleted Gresley Rovers youth team managed to halt the impressive run of highflying Stapenhill at the Moat Ground on Monday night.
With a crowd of well over one hundred watching, Gresley managed without, no less, than six top players. Guthrie, Ward and Gadsby on reserve team duty on Wednesday were rested, Donovan and Cruet injured and Bolt suspended, this gave the opportunity for a few fringe players to impress and I must say nobody let the side down.
Gresley started very well pressurising the Stapenhill defence and looking solid at the back in a new, for some of the lads, 4-4-2 formation.
It was Jack Coulson who caused the problems for our first goal, closing down the keeper and causing a fumble and when it was not cleared effectively Danwell Francis drilled home from ten yards giving us a deserved lead.
We did not look under any pressure and could not see where their goals were coming from. After 35 minutes Gresley made it 2-0 with a great run from Tyrone Gibbins. After rounding a couple of players just inside the oppositions half Tyrone strode on and struck from 20 yards to hit the top right hand corner.
Unfortunately injury intervened again when just before the interval Kaleb took a nasty knock and struggled to shake it off and had to make way for Matt Draycott, then Gareth Wilson injured his finger and deputising keeper Gary Twigg filled the void.
Second half saw Stapenhill more aggressive with Kieran Hemmings playing up front with Dave Harper and a long ball tactic seeming to give us a few concerns. This was to be the right tactic for Stapenhill as a long ball from the right back cleared the defence and left Hemmings one on one with Twigg and the striker nodded over the keeper to make it 2-1. Stapenhill then got the bit between their teeth and kept pumping the ball forward and causing some problems.
Howeve, the solid Gresley defence held their ground and midfielder Lee Mitchell had a good hand in holding out against some of his old team mates.
Tyron Gibbins hit the post from close range and then had to come off injured replaced by Neil Hoogendyke from the juniors who came on and did well.
Gresley Rovers 2 - 1 Stapenhill
Dean Amess (asst manager)
