Ashbourne United Reserves vs Gresley Rovers
Ashbourne Utd Reserves 5 - 2 Gresley Rovers
Scorer: Rich Hanslow 2
Team: Stu Haywood, Carl Wymark, Jack Moylan, Kyle Jones, Tom Gregory, Todd Foster(c), Ian Parker, Matt Grice, Chris Smith, Rich Hanslow, Paul Morton.
Subs: Joe Tomlin, Sam Worth, Luke Taylor
We were away to Ashbourne Utd Reserves today, which was a re-arranged fixture as we were originally going to play Litchfield Brenstar away. Ashbourne had beaten us 6-2 a few weeks ago at home so we knew what we were facing, a well organised side who break with pace. We knew that if we were going to get anything from the game we needed to work our socks off and keep our shape.
So the game started and we did what we knew we had too, that's work as hard when we haven't got the ball, as we do when we have. We contained them quite well, and passed the ball around neatly, and we held a good line with our back
four catching their forwards offside many times. We had some decent chances to open the scoreline, with Paul Morton and Rich Hanslow linking up well with the help of our midfielders. Chris Smith was back to his best, and won two or three tackles in our own third, which shows he was not only working hard but also reading the dangers well. The pairing up front forced a couple of good saves from their keeper, although Stu Haywood was doing just as good for us making two point blank saves. The midfield were shading the little battles so all in all we looked quite composed. However in the last minute of the half, Ashbourne broke clear, and a little hesitation allowed their striker to beat Haywood so we were 1-0 down.
I made two changes at half time, these were neither tactical or because of injuries, they were simply to involve all the squad. I replaced Jack Moylan for Joe Tomlin, and Chris Smith for Sam Worth and with only four minutes gone we were back in the game. Tomlin passed to Hanslow, who had pulled over to the far left, and there was still a lot to do but as Hanslow has showed many
times that when he runs at defences they can't cope with him and he hit a superb shot in the far corner leaving the keeper no chance. We then replaced Ian Parker for Luke Taylor with only eight minutes gone, again to give all the
squad a fair part of the game. We could have took the lead when Hanslow again beat the first defender only to be brought down by the second, and the resulting free kick was blocked by their wall. Ashbourne then had a purple
patch, as all teams do, and in a fifteen minute period put three goals in and despite Hanslow adding another they then scored again to make it 5-3 with 10 minutes to go.
So again we have lost, and losing so many games hurts everyone, but even more so when as today we've worked our socks off. A few lapses in concentration has cost us today, but that aside, we've probably played the best football this season so far. It was great to give Jack, Sam and Luke their more than deserved chance, as these lads although only 15 years old have been training with us week in week out for months, and today they've all proved
that they're good enough. They looked composed and settled into things with relative ease which is great for the future of not, only our team, but Gresley Rovers in general. We have a squad now which I believe is good enough
to compete and we just need to focus for the whole game. As Todd Foster said "we played too well and worked too hard to get beaten with the scoreline as it was," however that's what the record shows!!! Many positives can be
taken from today, and credit to Ashbourne they are a good sporting side which is good, but also they know how to dig in when needed and play to their strengths. Something we need to learn, but a good gutsy performance today, and I'm sure we'll play worse than that and win games this season.
MoM: Rich Hanslow, yes another man-of-the-match for Rich, took his two goals very well and neither were easy chances, keep the "habit" going Rich!
