Borrowash Victoria vs Gresley Rovers
Heads! Acklam onto a winner – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Form was forgotten as Gresley – currently sweeping all before them in the Banks’s League – found Borrowash much tougher to chew on than the average Saturday fodder.
Inspired by former Moat Ground hard man Dave King, Vics gave Gresley’s credentials a thorough FA Cup preliminary round examination and will be looking back today on a game that, in terms of chances, they could easily have won.
Not that there was any suggestion of that in the opening 20 minutes. Gresley quickly clicked into gear, scored in the third minute and could easily have added a second shortly afterwards.
But Vics stormed back to dominate midfield for the reminder of the half and only when Scott Elliott moved into a crucial centre midfield role did Gresley once again come into the ascendancy.
Indeed, Elliott’s second half contribution was so significant that, by the end, Gresley were once again enjoying the sort of control that marked the opening quarter.
Martin Dick and Kieron Smith provided the flying start, Dick crossing near post from the left and Smith despatching a back header into the top corner.
Then Richard Denby’s free kick gave Smith another chance but keeper Steve Rimmington raced from his line to smother the ball.
Borrowash took time to recover but showed that they had in the 24th minute when Ian Grostate headed against the base of the post. Then King advanced from deep in his own half before shooting past a statuesque Bob Aston from fully 25 yards.
Gresley were in more trouble as centre half Martin Spooner got forward to see a header cleared off the line, heralding the second half reshuffle that sparked Rovers’ recovery.
John Barry’s excellent cross gave Paul Acklam a chance that he headed wide of a gaping target, then substitute Neil Lovell tested the keeper with a stinging shot.
King was booked for brutally flattening Dick before Gresley finally settle the issue, Elliott highlighting an excellent second half performance by winning the ball well in the midfield and Smith helping it on for Acklam to head over a stranded Rimmington.
Borrowash Victoria (1) 1
Gresley Rovers (1) 2
Scorers: Smith 8, Acklam 78 (Gresley Rovers); King 27 (Borrowash Victoria).
Borrowash Victoria: Rimmington, Greaves, Oakton, Barker, Spooner, King, Rayson, Grostrate, Ride, Kelsey, Cotton. Subs: Morrel, Miles.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Barry, Dick, Denby, Land, Astley, Stokes (Lovell 55), Smith, Acklam, Beresford (Maddocks 80), Elliott.
Gresley man-of-the-match: John Barry.
Referee: P J Robinson (Duffield).
Attendance: 230
