Match Report  |  Bedworth United vs Gresley Rovers

After an underwhelming opening 30 minutes or so when Rovers could have easily been a couple of goals behind, they rallied and went close to snatching an unlikely share of the points at the end.

Rovers were missing six players through injury or absence but included defender Kane Ault for his debut and Byron Musgrove in goal for the suspended Harvey Woodward and it was Musgrove who was called into action early making a good save after just 4 minutes.

Bedworth we very lively in the early stages of the game with a header flying just over and Musgrove having to make another save palming a shot from William Grocott away.

Corner after corner for the home side spelled danger for Rovers and it seemed only a matter of time before a goal for Bedworth arrived and it duly did on 31 minutes when a cross from the right was slotted home by Grocott from close in.

Rovers managed to get into the Bedworth’s final third for the first time a minute later as they tried to hit back. Richard Hanslow found Kane Lee with a pass down the right who in turn picked out Martin Smyth in the middle, but the final shot flew wide.

The visitors went even closer minutes later when Hanslow burst through the backline and onto a through ball but home keeper Dan Crane manged to get the faintest of touches with his outstretched leg preventing the goal. The ball found itself over on the right where Chris Jones collected it on the right but hitting the rebound low towards goal the ball was blocked on the line at the base of the near post.

Rovers came out for the second looking far more threatening, but an early goal put Bedworth further in front. On 47 minutes the referee played an advantage allowing Leo Stone to race through the Rovers defence ending with him beating Musgrove with his shot.

The visitors could have clawed themselves back into the game when a cross from the left by John King into the Bedworth box where it hit the back of Hanslow who was a couple of yards from goal in the middle but somehow the ball flew wide instead of being deflected into the net. That’s the sort of luck Rovers could do with at the moment.

With Rovers pressing for a goal, they were in danger of being caught out and it almost happened on 65 minutes when Stone was allowed another unchallenged mazy run but this time his shot went straight at Musgrove.

Both sides made changes with Rovers replacing Kane Lee with Rhys Mason and moments later Chris Jones with Alby Lansdowne.

Rovers were having far more of the play and were looking for a consolation goal at the very least and it came from substitute Lansdowne. A corner from King on the right found Lansdowne and his header beat Crane to give his side a glimmer of hope but it wasn’t to be and Bedworth held on for the win.