Midland Football League Premier Division
Townsend Meadow, Warwick
Saturday, 7th September 2019, 3.00pm
Gresley Fightback Rewarded
Gresley’s continuing improvement was evident in this game although it took a dominant second half to keep the mini run going.
The hosts were two-goals to the good by the halftime break through a freak goal and one that caused moments of confusion.
Caretaker manager David McDermott was forced into one change with keeper Ben Allsop away on holiday so in came young keeper Byron Musgrave. There was also a new face on the subs bench with Conor Gater joining the club from Lye Town.
Gresley started well enough but it was the Racers who had the first chance with Josh Cole heading Danny Fraser’s corner over the bar.
At the other end Nehemia Zazi laid on a nice ball for Albert Lansdowne to fire low at home keeper Charlie Bannister.
On 17 minutes McDermott was forced to substitute himself after picking up an Achilles injury to be replaced by debutant Gater.
However, two minutes later the Racers took the lead. A long free kick from the left was headed back into the box by Cole who was just outside the area on the right. His looping header caught Musgrave off guard and aided by a stiff breeze the ball sailed over his head and into the far corner of the net with the scorer more surprised than anyone.
On 34 minutes there were a few moments of confusion. A ball into Gresley’s box resulted in the referee appearing to award the visitors a free kick as the ball entered the net but, after being persuaded by the home players referee Mr Hackett spoke to his assistant, who had not flagged for any infringement, and after a consultation the referee awarded the goal.
At the break the referee explained his decision. He was in fact blowing for a penalty for the home side, but his assistant had said the ball had crossed the line, so he awarded the goal even though the visitors had stopped playing as the ball was headed home. This was hotly disputed by the Gresley players and if it was a penalty their keeper could have saved it.
As the half drew to a halt Zazi went close for Gresley firing just wide.
Gresley looked determined to get back into the game in the second half and went agonisingly close to a goal when Zazi did well to get into the Racers area but after beating both defenders and keeper saw his well struck curling shot cannon back off the far post with the keeper motionless.
The visitors were pressing had with Lansdowne forcing Bannister to have to push his low shot from distance away for a corner.
Gresley got back into the game with the best move of the game. The ball was rolled out to his defence by Musgrave. Lansdowne then picked Joe Haines down the left who raced forward and he in turn picked out Gater in the box who coolly ended the move by side footing the ball past Bannister.
Haines went close himself minutes later. More good football this time including Lansdown and Zazi ended with Haines smashing his shot over the bar.
The home side were clearly rattled by Gresley’s dominance of the second half resulting in some poor tackling which went unpunished. Unfortunately, Joel Howes protested too vigorously and found himself in the sin bin for 10 minutes.
Even down to ten men Gresley were easily the better side and were once more unlucky as they were denied a nailed on penalty shout as the ball was clearly handled a yard or so inside the area by a defender but Mr Hackett waved away the protests.
If another goal was to come it was Gresley who looked the most likely scorers. On 74 minutes Haines put over a good cross which Gater headed straight at the keeper but two minutes later the home side could not prevent the onslaught from resulting in a goal and it was that man again who grabbed the goal.
Lansdowne made a fine lung busting run down the left cut into the area and then smashed the ball between keeper and near post and into the net. It was no more than Gresley deserves for their excellent second half performance.
On a rare foray into the Gresley final third during the second half Musgrave received a yellow card as he came racing well out of his area over on his right but in trying to clear the ball clipped a Racers player but fortunately for Musgarve not hard enough to bring him down or the outcome could have been much different. The danger in the end was easily dealt with by the Gresley defence.
The hosts had to play out the final ten minutes or so with ten men as substitute Dale Wigmore had to serve his time in the sin bin.
The final few minutes saw Gresley well on top with more chances. Haines made a run down the left but put his shot over the bar and Gater hitting a low shot which Bannister collected comfortably.
