Match Report  |  Newhall United vs Gresley FC

There couldn't have been a bigger contrast between the cup match at the Moat on Tuesday and this final at the Hawfields.

Newhall's pitch, to be kind, was awful and didn't help with any football played on the ground, whereas the Moat Ground surface is the best it's been for a few seasons due to the wet weather.

Of the Gresley starting line-up only two started tonight from the Loughborough game but that said there was still enough talent on show to have least have made a fist of the game with Jamie Barrett, Danny Holmes, Lee Barrow, Richard Hanslow and Tom Gutteridge all given a start.

Gresley had the first effort with Hanslow making a good run down the right but his shot went straight at United's keeper Stuart Watson who caught the ball at the second attempt.

However it was the home side who took the lead on 12 minutes when Scott Duggins cut in from the right and totally unchallenged was allowed to hit a low shot that crept in by the near post.

Three minutes later Newhall had doubled their lead when a needlessly conceded corner was played short before the cross was met by Richard Foster who powered home his header.

Gresley were in a charitable mood as once more they gifted Newhall a goal giving Nathan Rolf far too much time and space as he chose his spot shooting past Gutteridge.

The visitors at last looked dangerous and Hanslow made a good run in on goal before being hacked down from behind which in a league game would surely have warranted at least a yellow card.

Dillon was then bundled over in the area but the generous referee waved away the Gresley protests but on 50 minutes the referee could deny Gresley again and awarded a spot after Dillon was once more upended in the area. Langford made no mistake with his kick.

Newhall regained their three goal lead when a slip by Langford in midfield saw the ball played out to the right and Stuart Ensor seeing Gutteridge well off his line superbly lobbed the ball over the keeper and into the far corner of the net.

It was nothing more than Newhall deserved as they were giving Gresley the run around for large parts of the game looking far more determined. Once more Dillon was brought down in the area but this time Langford after sending the keeper the wrong way put his spot kick wide of the upright.

Hanslow brought out a good save from Watson and from the resultant corner Gresley reduced the arrears. Holmes slung over the flag kick from the right and Douglas was unlucky to see his header crash back off the bar but substitute Sam Grice followed up quickly heading the rebound into the net.

Any faint hope of forcing a penalty shoot out evaporated with four minutes remaining when Newhall substitute Lee Croxall, looking two yards offside, hit a shot that beat Gutteridge signalling celebrations knowing that Newhall had got one over on their illustrious neighbours and their name on the shield.