Match Report  |  Ashby Ivanhoe vs Gresley Rovers

At the final whistle Rovers faithful were huddled around their mobile phones trying to find out whether Boston had managed to hold on to their lead against Sleaford. Finally, the cheers began to start and the chanting of ‘we are staying up’ echoing around the ground as the result they had been hoping for was confirmed; Rovers had held onto their step 5 status by their mere fingertips.

The Rovers contingent had more than doubled their opponents’ average home crowd giving them their biggest gate of the season unfortunately they were not to witness the result they had hoped for as they were well beaten by 10 men Ivanhoe.

Whether is was the enormity of the situation facing them or end of season feeling Rovers looked nervous and it resulted in some wayward passing which was not helped by the difficult surface. Ivanhoe were winning the headers and the second and third balls whereas Rovers were struggling.

However, having said that, it was Rovers who had the first chance with Fin Barker firing just wide with only 8 minutes on the clock, but it wasn’t long before the home side took the lead when Chris Acott caught Rovers’ keeper of his line and launched a shot from distance which flew over Charlie Wood’s head and into the net.

Ivanhoe was down to ten men on 16 minutes when Adam Zia saw red with a rash tackle on Barker. The loss of a man didn’t seem to trouble them much as they continued to have the better of the game.

Kane Lee hit a shot which home keeper Brad Catlow spilled but managed to grab at the second attempt.

The visitors managed to get back on terms just after the half hour mark. Barker made a good run before unleashing a shot which struck the far post but Jenson Cooper was quick to react forcing the ball home to continue his fine goal scoring spell of six goals in four games.

Lee went close to giving Rovers the lead a few minutes later but screwed his shot wide of the far post.
Ivanhoe made a change at the break with Fin Philips replacing Jake Brown and within a minute or so of the start of the second half they almost added another goal when Acott raced into the area but somehow put his shot wide when scoring seemed easier.

Ivanhow didn’t have long to wait for a second goal as a ball was only half cleared out as far as the Will Robson who hit it back past Wood and into the net.

Rovers made three changes with Jude Ayetine, Jack Thatcher and Liam Kavanagh replacing Barker, Mitch White and Lee.

But it was still the home side having the better of the two sides as a number of quick breaks almost caught Rovers out as the pressed forward trying to get back into the game. It was from one such break that Ivanhoe added a third and ended the game for their visitors. A ball out of defence saw Acott race down the right before hitting a powerful shot which flew into the net by the near post which Wood couldn’t stop despite getting a hand to the ball.