Match Report  |  Gresley Rovers vs Eastwood CFC

Rovers were so close to making a remarkable fightback after being three goals behind at the break Aided by an early second half straight red card for the visitors Rovers put Eastwood under pressure and it told as Jenson Cooper struck twice making it, as Alex Ferguson once said, a squeaky bum last 30 minutes or so for the title hopefuls.

In front of another good attendance Eastwood showed why they are fighting for title honours as they played some good football and defended resolutely in the first half. The home side were thankful to Charlie Wood in goal for keeping the score level, but he couldn’t prevent former Rovers’ legend Aaron O’Conner from giving the visitors the lead on 12 minutes. The ball was not cleared as far as it was hoped, and it fell to the striker who did what he did many times for Rovers smashing the ball home from the edge of the area.

A few minutes later they went close to doubling their advantage with Phil Watt powerfully heading the ball just over the bar.

The first chance of the match for Rovers fell to Fin Barker who made a great run through the middle and curled his shot from the left agonisingly past the far post with keeper Sam Wison beaten.

Sam Moore was next to go close for Rovers. A superb ball down the left by Nathan Banton into Moore who cut in but curled his shot also wide of the far post. Moore went even closer minutes later. Barker fed a pass to Moore in the middle, and he hit a shot which Wilson did well to push away to his right.
On 33 minutes Eastwood doubled their advantage with a scruffy goal. O’Connor did well close to Rovers’ bye line and the ball was fired towards goal. It looked to have been heading for the near side netting but the faintest of touches by Tyker Blake steered into the net at the near post.

Barker was working hard in midfield, and he went close yet again firing wide but as the half was about to come to a close Eastwood scored again and it was O’Connor who was involved again. Over on the left of the area he looped a high ball into the box and Oliver Robinson was there to head home.

Eastwood had the last chance of the half but a stinging shot from a corner was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Wood.

Within ten minutes of the start of the second half Eastwood were down to ten men when Watts appeared to elbow Cooper in the head with the Rovers frontman suffering a gash over his eye which will possibly require stitches. While Cooper was receiving treatment the referee Ali Cera brandished a straight red card sending Watts to the dressing room. Credit to Cooper that he continued in the game after being bandaged up, and he played a full part in the Rovers fightback.

The visitors made a change with former Moatman Will Robinson replacing O’Connor. Rovers also made their first change with Jude Ayetine coming on for Kane Lee. More changes followed as the visitors tried to cling on to their lead but on 76 minutes Rovers had scored. Just before the goal Dylan Hunniford was unlucky to see his shot from outside the are clatter the cross bar but this time Cooper found enough space in the area to drill a low shot into the bottom corner of the net.

It was no more than Rovers deserved as they were on top in the game. More changes and then Cooper hit another goal to get Eastwood worried. The visitors did have some half chances as the game began to run down but a freekick on the very edge of the Eastwood area looked suspiciously just inside. A well struck effort was repelled, and the referee ended the game.

Rovers went oh so close to a deserved point in a game many had written off but the results from the teams around them for once went their way. The news filtered through that Kimberley had been beaten and Sleaford held to a draw. Eastwood also heard that Lincoln had won so the battle for top and bottom comes down to the final games on Monday afternoon.