Evo-Stik NPL League Division One South
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Monday, 28th August 2017, 3.00pm
Nailers Manage To Hang On For The Points
They say that when you are down Lady Luck seems to desert you. Yes, luck is largely self made but Gresley must have thought it wasn't going to be their day when they saw two attempts at goal come back off the woodwork and a clear hand ball seen by nearly everyone in the Moat Ground except for the referee and his assistant leading to Belper's second goal with the player concerned, Eric Graves, admitting after the game that he had indeed handled the ball and was expecting to hear the referee's whistle!
Unfortunately, that wasn't the only poor decision made by the officials throughout the game!
Gresley's manager Damion Beckford-Quailey had to make changes again bringing in reserve teamers Josh Dutton, Ryan King and James Hemmingway as Dexter Morris-Clarke, Louis Danquah and Alvin Jarvis succumbed to their injuries picked up at Chasetown on Saturday. Also absent were Courtney Meade, working and Tom Manship recovering from a deep thigh cut which required several stitches.
The home side got off to the worst start possible going a goal down after just a minute and a half. Ash Day dallied on the ball near his own penalty are and was easily robbed of the ball which was then sent across to Alex Steadman unmarked at the far post who had so much room to control the ball before smashing it past the helpless Brandon Bunn.
As on Saturday Gresley looked a little dispirited and almost went further behind when Laurence Constable was put through down the left but skied his effort well over the bar.
Belper's second goal was very fortunate as Graves clearly handled the ball in the build up which was ignored or missed by the officials and the ball was lobbed over the onrushing Bunn. Although Graves claimed the goal it was Lucas Harrison who got his foot to the ball first.
In contrast to Saturday Gresley didn't let their heads drop and again luck deserted them as Jason Law's superbly curled shot from the right crashed back off the bar and the rebound perhaps a couple of inches to high was headed back by Melbourne and again the woodwork saved the visitors.
For most of the second half Gresley had Belper pinned back in their own half but that badly needed goal didn't seem to be coming. Dutton turned well on the edge of the area only to see his shot got wide.
In a rare attempt on Gresley's goal a corner from the right found substitute Sam Birks but he headed the ball into the ground and over the bar when well placed.
Gresley continued to press forward with Danny Campbell, who had replaced the hard working Dutton, fired a shot straight at Town keeper Daniel Roberts.
The home side got a goal they deserved on 77 minutes. Substitute Jon Stevenson, on for Lucas Harrison, put a tremendous cross field pass into the path of Reece Morris down the right and the winger got to the bye-line and fired a ball into the box where Matt Melbourne managed to scramble the ball into the net.
Gresley still going forward had another great chance when Bunn's long punt dropped for Campbell who raced forward into the area but disappointingly fired over the bar - another good chance gone.
With Gresley committing men forward to try and get at least a share of the points, were almost caught twice in the final minutes. Steadman picked out Josh Barr-Rostron but Bunn made a fine block. The young keeper followed that up with another fine block this time denying Birks.
Gresley could and possibly should have grabbed a point at the death as two good chances went begging with Sean Phillips free kick being gathered under his bar by Roberts and Melbourne's header going just over the bar.
Despite a better second half, Gresley must play for the whole 90 minutes to win any points and hope that they can get any sort of a win even a very scrappy one to get their season up and running.
