Eastwood Town vs Gresley Rovers
Eastwood Town 2 - 3 Gresley Rovers
Scorers: Hanslow, Mat Holmes, Olly Baum (pen)
Team: Tom Allan, Danny Gee(c), Carl Wymark, Olly Baum, Kyle Jones, Rich Hanslow, Tom Fletcher, Mat Holmes, Sam Ingley, Pat Rowell, Chris Smith. Subs: Stu
Haywood, Nath Holmes, Andy Morrison, Luke Taylor, Jack Moylan, Sam Worth
We were away in the FA Youth cup at Eastwood,and had a great squad to choose from. I went with our usual 4-4-2 formation as to win the game and not go for the negative one up front that some teams play in cup matches.
I had the back four of Danny Gee, Carl Wymark, Olly Baum and Kyle Jones. This meant that Rich Hanslow and Tom Fletcher were in the centre of midfield, with Matt Holmes on the right and Chris Smith on the left. We also had the pacey two up front of Sam Ingley and Pat Rowell.
So the game started and being honest we looked good, with some good passing football, and we were composed on the ball. The back four held a good line and coped with relative ease with their strikers. Our forwards were causing a few problems for their defence, although for the first 25 minutes we never really had any clear-cut chances. This was about to change however, when a great pass from Danny Gee found Rich Hanslow on the left touch line, and he ran at the
defence and superbly finished into the bottom corner to give us the lead. It wasn't long before we doubled our lead, when again Hanslow received the ball on the left, this time from Chris Smith and he put in a quality cross to
find Mat Holmes at the far post who coolly headed past the stranded keeper. We continued creating chances and Sam Ingley forced a great save from their keeper, so as half time blew we were 2-0 to the good.
We knew that Eastwood would come out all guns blazing second half, and that's exactly what they did, but through some dogged defending form everyone we held our nerve. Danny Gee cleared off our line but we were hanging on. It was no surprise however that Eastwood scored from a free kick which we failed to clear. So now we were in a scrap, and we had to dig in and fight - with 20 minutes left Eastwood equalised when again we failed to clear a corner and it fell to the opposition to score. With 15 minutes left we replaced Chris Smith for Nath Holmes to beef up the mid field a little. We still pushed forward though and with 10 minutes left, Hanslow broke into their 18-yard
area forcing their keeper to make a challenge, Hanslow was brought down and the penalty awarded. Up stepped Olly Baum, and he coolly finished from the spot to make it 3-2.With 5 minutes left Carl Wymark was booked, his second
caution, so we were down to 10 men. We still attacked and with a couple of minutes left we replaced Sam Ingley for Andy Morrison and we took the much deserved win.
So we did what we always do, we worked, we battled and competed for everything. We kept our discipline even when Eastwood didn't so another reason to be proud. We've got a great and very talented squad who know what it means to play for their club and it shows. We had two 16 year olds playing and three 15 year olds in the squad which shows how good things are. We deserved the win tonight because we were more creative and played good football against a good well-organised side. It shows just how much we have
progressed in the last 12 months and every player in the squad can be proud of what we've achieved, Let's keep it up. Special thanks again to Donna our physio for her great help and commitment it's appreciated by ALL OF US!
Hears to the next round at home to Leek Town WELL DONE.
