Match Report  |  Gresley FC vs Romulus

For the second consecutive game Gresley were reduced to ten men although this time the referee also sent off an opposing player for the same incident. Phil Massingham had only been on the pitch for fifteen second half minutes when he was involved in a skirmish with Romulus substitute Graham Deakin who had himself only been on for five minutes the result being both players being showed a straight red card. The last game Gresley played before the enforced break Jordan Nadat was given his marching orders against Northwich Victoria.

Neither sending off had a bearing on today's game as lowly Romulus had stolen the lead with just ten minutes remaining and Gresley were unable to get the better of some stubborn defending and sterling work from the visiting keeper Lewis Exall to even get a share of the spoils.

Gresley gave new signing Louis Hamilton his debut game with both Royce Turville and Marc Goodfellow given a starting place ahead of Richard Hanslow and Massingham.

The first half was a pretty dour affair but Turville attempted to light the Moat Ground up with two very good attempts to open the scoring only to be denied by the performance of Exall. Turville first drew a save out of the keeper when he headed on Goodfellow's cross and then minutes later Exall made an even better save to tip Turville's scissor kick over the bar.

Unfortunately, for the Moat Ground faithful that was the only brightness in a somewhat grey first half performance from both sides although Romulus could have closed the half with a goal but Dexter Ravenhill after being sent through down the left embarrassingly fired well wide of the near post.

Hoping for a better second half the crowd were not disappointed at least for the first ten or fifteen or so. Hamilton made a good run down the left and crossed the ball to Dean Rathbone who saw his header beat Exall but not the far post as the ball crashed back into the pitch.

Goodfellow then struck a low shot that Exall did well to push away for a corner and then substitute Hanslow hit a tremendous shot which Exall did well to block.

Romulus took the lead in a smash-and -grab moment. Hardly having an attempt on Gresley's goal Daniel O'Callaghan floated a cross from the left which Luke Keen, fortunate to have still been on the field after his tussle with Danny Holmes early, somehow got a touch on the ball and his header managed to squeeze between the largely untroubled Gresley keeper Gary Hateley and his near post.

Gresley did apply some pressure with Michael Nottingham heading Holmes's free kick straight at Exall which he managed to hold on to.

Both sides were then reduced to ten men and the visitors managed to hold out to grab an unlikely win which they celebrated with much joy.