Gresley Rovers vs Malvern Town
Rovers run late – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Gresley Rovers again failed to sparkle as they set up a West Midlands League Cup derby against Rocester by beating Malvern at the Moat Ground last night.
Only in the final 20 minutes of a largely sterile tie did Rovers gain any degree of fluency and Paul Acklam’s 88th-minute clincher was ultimately a fitting reward.
Earlier, though, Gresley had to rely on a 22nd minute Brain Beresford penalty to separate them from the visitors.
As manager Frank Northwood quite rightly pointed out afterwards, Rovers could have been awarded more than one spot kick in the first half.
When a penalty did arrive it looked a strange decision. Acklam appeared to have missed Beresford’s headed pass but the referee judged that he had been fouled by defender Mark Hodges and Beresford fired home.
Malvern’s only real threat came through John Workman’s pace which set up striker Wayne Barnes for a header just over on the stroke of half time.
With Malvern content to sit back and wait for a chance to break and Rovers deprived of midfield kingpin Richard Denby by a first half ankle injury, the first 25 minutes of the second half were a real test of the crowds patience.
But suddenly Rovers clicked into gear and Malvern were torn apart.
Richard Wardle saw a header cleared off the line from a John Barry cross, Beresford was just short of Carl Rathbone cross with an empty net beckoning and Acklam capped an excellent run down the left with a shot that flew inches wide of the far post.
Malvern got their breakaway chance when Acklam’s error sent Workman clear, but, with only Bob Aston to beat, the midfielder shot over.
Substitute Ryan Venning saw a superb 20-yard effort equally well saved by David Gray who then excelled again by beating out Rathbone’s close range effort.
Venning had the final say when his quickly taken free kick from the left caught Malvern in disarray and Acklam was first in a queue of Gresley players waiting to convert an easy chance.
Gresley Rovers (1) 2
Malvern Town (0) 0
Scorers: Beresford 22, Acklam 88.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Barry, Nuttall, Denby (Venning 45), Evans, Dick, Weston, Rathbone (Smith 82), Acklam, Beresford, Wardle.
Malvern Town: Gray, Higgins, Lowe, Juggins, Hodges, Workman, Bullock, Brown, Barnes, Moverly, Slade. Subs not used: Rivers, Merrick.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Stuart Evans.
Referee: P J Clarke (Kingswinford).
Attendance: 319
