Gresley 0 Retford 4
Posted by Nik on Sunday, March 1, 2009
Gresley Rovers are a club in trouble. There but for the grace of God, it could well have been us. Years of financial mismanagement, self delusion coupled with fan deception, and a degree of fan apathy. It all sounds painfully familiar. At times like this, a club needs good people at the helm, with thick skins and a vague masochistic streak. Both clubs are lucky to have already had managers in lace with these characteristics, and it sounds like Gresley now have a Chairman to match now. Good luck to him.
Our last visit to The Moat Ground will be forever tinged with sadness, as it was the day it was confirmed that we would not be going up, despite our run-away success in the 07/08 season. Still, one year on, and, for now at least, all is rosey. Sitting pretty at the top of the league, albeit with rivals having games in hand. And a trip to play a team that by all acounts would barely recognise each other. The Gresley forum was a-buzz with players coming in with the run-up to this game. It goes without saying therefore that it was all pretty much of a lottery as to what team took the pitch, and as such it was perhaps unsuprising that The Badgers lined up in a familiar 4-4-2, rather than the more attacking 4-3-3. The continuing loan of Neil Harvey meant that Paul Grimes was unlucky to miss out, but Harvs' goals return during his two loan spells shows his class. Grimes' time will come again.
As the game developed, the difference in class was all too-apparent. At times it was simply men against boys, attack against defence. Stevie Owens scared the bejesus out of both full backs, and , perversely, had it not been for a Gresley dismissal half way through the first half, the score may well have ended up higher. But down to 10 men, the Moat Men had the wind taken out of their sails, and never seemed to believe enough in their attacks. Indeed, had Retford brought their shooting boots, the afore mentioned Owens suspect prime, we could have been looking at a vidiprinter moment. As it was, the wasteful frontline were spared any potential blushes by an unduly generous defence, who scored two own goals before Godber squared to an unmarked Harvey, an act which was reversed two minutes later. The one Gresley player to come out of the game with any credit was their keeper, Baldwin, who despite having apparenty had a couple of pies since his days in a Shepshed shirt, when "he was good, but much thinner", showed enough class to imply he could do a decent job for a good few clubs at this level.
Couple of downpoints in the injuries sustained to Dan White and Matt Fisher, the former as a direct result of the red card challenge, but all reports suggest the injuries aren't too bad.
As we were packing up our things, the news came in of Lincoln's last minute winner at Belper, meaning that a good day just got that little bit exra bit better. Unfortunately Kidsgrove could not perform wonders against Stocksbridge, but I have faith that the Steels will help us out yet.
Four nil did not flatter either side. It was a game that Retford were expected to win comfortably, and one which Gresley approached hoping to escape a hiding. Job done by both parties, I would say.
Our last visit to The Moat Ground will be forever tinged with sadness, as it was the day it was confirmed that we would not be going up, despite our run-away success in the 07/08 season. Still, one year on, and, for now at least, all is rosey. Sitting pretty at the top of the league, albeit with rivals having games in hand. And a trip to play a team that by all acounts would barely recognise each other. The Gresley forum was a-buzz with players coming in with the run-up to this game. It goes without saying therefore that it was all pretty much of a lottery as to what team took the pitch, and as such it was perhaps unsuprising that The Badgers lined up in a familiar 4-4-2, rather than the more attacking 4-3-3. The continuing loan of Neil Harvey meant that Paul Grimes was unlucky to miss out, but Harvs' goals return during his two loan spells shows his class. Grimes' time will come again.
As the game developed, the difference in class was all too-apparent. At times it was simply men against boys, attack against defence. Stevie Owens scared the bejesus out of both full backs, and , perversely, had it not been for a Gresley dismissal half way through the first half, the score may well have ended up higher. But down to 10 men, the Moat Men had the wind taken out of their sails, and never seemed to believe enough in their attacks. Indeed, had Retford brought their shooting boots, the afore mentioned Owens suspect prime, we could have been looking at a vidiprinter moment. As it was, the wasteful frontline were spared any potential blushes by an unduly generous defence, who scored two own goals before Godber squared to an unmarked Harvey, an act which was reversed two minutes later. The one Gresley player to come out of the game with any credit was their keeper, Baldwin, who despite having apparenty had a couple of pies since his days in a Shepshed shirt, when "he was good, but much thinner", showed enough class to imply he could do a decent job for a good few clubs at this level.
Couple of downpoints in the injuries sustained to Dan White and Matt Fisher, the former as a direct result of the red card challenge, but all reports suggest the injuries aren't too bad.
As we were packing up our things, the news came in of Lincoln's last minute winner at Belper, meaning that a good day just got that little bit exra bit better. Unfortunately Kidsgrove could not perform wonders against Stocksbridge, but I have faith that the Steels will help us out yet.
Four nil did not flatter either side. It was a game that Retford were expected to win comfortably, and one which Gresley approached hoping to escape a hiding. Job done by both parties, I would say.
Tags: "retford united" "gresley rovers" "unibond south"
