Evo-Stik NPL Division One South
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Tuesday, 5th February 2013, 7.45pm
Much Improved Gresley Make A Point
The weather deteriorated late in the afternoon making the Moat Ground surface very wet and heavy. However, it had no bearing on the game which was one most entertaining seen for a while as both sides tried to play attacking football in extremely difficult conditions.
Royce Turville was once more given a starting role alongside Richard Hanslow with new signing Louis Hamilton on the bench. Defender Sam Woods took the right back slot in place of Jamie Barrett who was suffering from a sickness bug.
Gresley's dismal performance on Saturday was soon forgotten as they opened the scoring within three minutes of the start against a very useful Leek side. A pinpoint cross from Dean Rathbone on the right found Turville who made no mistake as he steered the ball home past Leek keeper Ben Chapman.
The home side could have doubled their score but somehow the visitors' goal led a charmed life as somehow Chapman managed to block two point-blank efforts from Hanslow in succession.
Down at the other end Leek should have levelled things when Tim Grice raced through but embarrassingly fired well over the bar with only Gresley keeper Gary Hateley to beat. Unbelievably and to the amazement of everyone in the Moat Ground referee Mr Postin adjudged that a Gresley played had had the final touch - who, remains a mystery - and awarded a corner. Marc Goodfellow went close but saw a stinging shot well blocked at the near post by Chapman.
Leek were still finding their aim a little wayward as Sam Hall fired well wide from a good position. The action went to the opposite end and Hanslow went close as he hooked a shot which Chapman managed to block with his legs on the line.
Hall, who had missed a golden chance moments earlier, made up for it with a stunning low shot from distance which flew through a few players and into the bottom corner of the net.
Although the surface was deteriorating the second half began with both sides going close to scoring. First Hanslow fired a low shot that Chapman did well to hold on to and then for Leek Dan Shelley hit a thunderous shot which Hateley acrobatically tipped over the bar.
Gresley were almost gifted the lead when Chapman came out to punch a ball he had little chance of connecting with and it fell to substitute Phil Massingham, who had replaced the struggling Hanslow five minutes earlier, but his shot was cleared off the line.
The conditions were beginning to take their toll on the hardworking players of both sides but Goodfellow defied the heavy pitch and raced down the right before eventually finding Massingham who was unlucky to see his goalbound shot deflected away for a corner.
Gresley had a chance to close the match out when Jepson fed the ball through to Massingham but the final shot flew over the bar.
On reflection a draw was a fair result as neither side deserved to lose this match after both working so hard in trying conditions to entertain the die-hard supporters who had braved the elements and turned out on a horrible wet and cold evening.
