|
Dr
Martens Western Division
Saturday,
22nd November 2003
Attendance
| 259
Rugby
United |
2 |
1 |
Gresley
Rovers |
|
Dutton
13
Beard
78 |
|
Alexander
50 |
Star
Man | Andy Commander |
Was
part of a very strong defence and kept a lively
Gresley attack fairly quiet with a dominating
display aerially and in the tackle. |
Defender
Adam Hart strapped up his knee for the game and managed
to last 80 minutes, while Cypriot defender Andreas Kattos
made his full debut alongside Andy Commander.
Craig Herbert was still unavailable with a back injury
and Jamie Williams and Gary Moran played carrying injuries.
Gresley
Rovers made a strong and confident start, forcing a
number of early corners and having a lot of attacking
possession. However, somewhat against the run
of play, it was the home side who took the lead.
Robbie
Beard's surging run to the bye-line was cut back to
Justin Marsden, who failed to control the ball from
eight yards but the deflected ball found its way out
to Craig Dutton, who superbly chipped the ball
over Gresley goalkeeper Dale Belford and into the corner
from 20 yards, possibly with the aid of a slight deflection.
Gresley
answered to the Rugby goal almost immediately, as striker
Steve Lenagh came close, just heading over the angle
and Carl Francis had a shot well saved by Jason Pearcey.
Justin
Marsden broke the offside trap and despite rounding
the goalkeeper from out wide, the young striker failed
to make anything of the chance as he tamely chipped
the ball into the area.
Another
piece of brilliance from Beard was almost rewarded minutes
later as his skilful run ended with a curling left-foot
effort from the edge of the area, which skimmed the
top of the crossbar.
Valley
were under a fair amount of pressure in the opening
period and had six corners to deal with, one of which
was caused when Gary Moran's timely challenge prevented
Francis from a clear scoring opportunity. Moran was
then on hand from the resultant corner to hack the ball
off the line from the goal-bound header.
Beard
should have doubled the lead just before the break after
a Gresley defensive calamity, but despite having Marsden
in support and bearing down on goal, Beard took the
ball on himself and dragged his shot disappointingly
wide.
After
the break, Gresley came out searching for an equalizer
against their injury-hit opponents, and it took them
five minutes of the second half to pounce. Goalscorer
Craig Dutton sold out his defenders with a sloppy pass
and substitute Earl Alexander finished well from
an angle after Moran had blocked a Lenagh effort.
Alexander
was in action again five minutes later, but this time
Pearcey was equal to the effort stretching to clutch
the ball to his chest.
Gresley
once more attempted to continue the pressure, but it
was United who were creating the better chances, and
Marsden's cross should have been converted by Dutton,
but the experienced could not replicate his first-half
heroics - ballooning his header over the bar.
Adam
Hart limped off again with his injured knee, and Moran
reverted to sweeper and was forced to make several important
challenges in the last fifteen minutes.
Gareth
Holmes had a decent opportunity to grab a win for the
visitors, but his snatched shot curled wide of Pearcey's
goal.
The
next goal would win the game, and Rugby took their chance
to do so. After a late challenge by Gresley midfielder
Leon Doughty on Andy Commander, the Rugby defender retaliated
leading to both players being booked. Commander
shrugged off the situation to curl a deep ball into
the area, where Robbie Beard had squeezed past
defender Leigh Everitt and managed to connect with an
out-stretched boot to poke the ball past Belford for
the winner.
Rugby
still stay in second with this important win and must
look to continue performing at getting results at home
if a title challenge is realistic.
Rugby
United | Pearcey, Moran, Williams, Hart (Pearson),
Commander, Kattos, Squire, Dutton, Beard, Marsden, Shanahan
(Hegarty) Subs | Thomas, Thompson, Nelson
Bookings | Commander |
