Gresley Rovers vs Eastwood Town
Gresley Rovers 2 - 3 Eastwood Town
Two Chris Cowlishaw goals highlighted Gresley Rovers' best pre-season football so far to give the Moatmen a 2-1 interval lead over Midland League side Eastwood Town. Eastwood however took control after the interval winning command of midfield.
In the final half hour notably after Gresley had lost the steadying influence of Tiny Greaves, Eastwood's experienced striking duo of Martin Wright and Carl Gregory ran the Rovers defence ragged and in the final analysis their 3-2 victory margin might have been greater.
Gresley fell into arrears with the game little over a minute old when skipper Colin Walker was penalised for handling. Doug Newton converted the ensuing penalty kick.
The Moatmen fought their way back after this setback and both Collins and Earley were denied by Inger before Gresley levelled in the 16th minute. Mick Collins, who looks to be one of Gresley's best close season signings, hit a shot on the turn which beat the diving Inger. Chris Cowlishaw coming in at the far post pushed the ball in from close range.
Collins was in the thick of things again when he headed down a long ball from Malcolm Bailey to Ian Earley, but, the Gresley winger who faded after some impressive running in the first half shot wide.
Martin Wright a player who has hit over twenty goals a season for the past six seasons showed how dangerous he could be when he chased a long kick by Inger, escaped the attention of first Dave Camm and then Richard Walshe before having a shot well saved by Keith Willdig.
Gresley took the lead in the 35th minute when Cowlishaw superbly headed in a low left wing cross from Collins. It was a deserved reward for the Moatmen who had played some effective one-touch football in the first half.
The second half was a total contrast to the first and after Earley had squandered a glorious chance to extend Gresley's lead early in the half little was seen of the Gresley attack until Collins just failed to meet a free kick from Charlie Milton, a 77th minute substitute for Camm.
Gresley's midfield became almost anonymous and the absence of a ball winner more apparent than ever as Eastwood's midfield trio of Proctor, Newton and Barrowcliffe took control. Both Wright and Gregory missed good chances before the two of them combined to give Eastwood the inevitable equaliser in the 65th minute.
Gregory beat Bailey for pace and although the oncoming Willdig forced him to go wide the keeper was helpless as Wright flung himself forward to head in Gregory's resultant cross.
Four minutes later Eastwood got the all important fifth goal. The Moatmen stood ball watching as Gregory took a short right wing corner to Barrowcliffe, he knocked the ball in first time to Buxton whose shot into the far corner gave Willdig little chance.
Gresley Rovers: Willdig, Bailey, Walshe, Fox, Camm (Milton 77), Greaves (Burke 61), Walker, Cowlishaw, Steele, Collins, Earley.
Eastwood Town: Inger, Eaton, Williams, Longsdale (Nicholson 49), Wadsley, Proctor, Newton, Barrowcliffe, Wright, Gregory, Buxton.
