Match Report  |  Ibstock United vs Gresley FC

On a bitterly cold evening Gresley were taken to extra time by a hard working Ibstock side but a late goal from Marc Goodfellow ensured that the Gresley travelling support would not have to suffer a penalty shoot out.

Ibstock proved to be a much sterner opposition than what was expected and were soon putting the Gresley defence under pressure with Michael Nottingham having to clear the ball off the line.

Both sides were being affected by a stiff breeze which reduced the clear chances in the first half. Benn Minshull went close for Gresley and Ibstock went even closer in the closing minutes of the half when they were unlucky to see a header come back off the bar from Ben Harris's free kick.

Gresley were caught out in the first minute of the second half when Tendi Chitizu was put through and he coolly slipped the ball past the advancing keeper George Woodward.

Jordi Gough went close for Gresley moments later and Goodfellow firing a shot just wide of the near post.

Goodfellow had a shot pushed away by Ibstock's keeper Sam Taylor before providing a cross from the left which Dean Rathbone headed home at the far post to level the game.

Gresley almost took the lead with a good passing move as Richard Hanslow picked out Jordan Nadat who in turn found Minshull but the final shot flew wide of the near post.

Ibstock was lucky to have kept their keep on the field when he brought down Nadat outside the area on the right. The referee was charitable as perhaps one of the keeper's defenders may have got back to help and only waved the yellow card.

A free kick from Danny Holmes was headed against the bar and Nadat following up could only loop the rebound over from a good position.

Ibstock had a chance to win the game in normal time but Woodward did well to deny Chitizu with a good save.

In the early moments of extra time the woodwork denied Gresley again this time when Goodfellow made a good run through the middle before crashing his shot against the bar.

At the other end Carl Benson put a good chance over the bar but Gresley took the lead when Goodfellow pushed a corner from the left to Holmes who crashed an unstoppable shot past Taylor from the edge of the area.

Ibstock levelled almost immediately in somewhat controversial circumstances. The referee had given a soft free kick which was taken yards away from where the alleged offence had taken place and as the Gresley players were waiting for the ball to go back to the correct place for the kick the referee allowed play to go on which gave substitute Keith Matthew a clear run through to shoot past Woodward.

Gresley should have retaken the lead when a superb cross from the left by Goodfellow found Hanslow at the far post unmarked but somehow he managed to plant his header the wrong side of the upright.

Holmes went close firing over the bar and just as it seemed the match would have to be settled by shots from the penalty spot Gresley managed to grab a winner.

With just four minutes of extra time remaining Nadat made a good run down the right and fired in a low cross into the box which Taylor could only get a hand to but the ball still flew across face of the goal where Goodfellow running in at the far post was able to slot home.