Gresley Rovers 2-2 The Mikes

The last kick of the game gained the hosts a point in an enthralling encounter. Our old friend “the Fenndog” was between the sticks for our hosts, while the Programme revealed that our esteemed Manager had represented them no less than eighty-five times! It had rained or drizzled all day, and it was consequently hard to control the ball - meaning that, in compact Moat Street, it left the premises no less than twelve times! One hopes that, for the sake of Gresley’s finances, their neighbours return them all.

After a bright Boldmere start, Owen Parry swerving a twenty yarder over the bar after ten minutes, the quarter hour saw the Mikes (far from the first time in the game) defending with ten men in their box. A tremendous scramble saw them eventually get rid of the ball for a corner. As periods of pressure alternated, the Moatmen, seizing on a ball in midfield, nearly took the lead. Lewis Belgrave fired in a ball from all of fifty yards, leaving Dan Moore totally stranded as it hit the top of the bar - “Ooh”, from the crowd. The Rovers should have gone ahead on the half hour. Jamie Sleigh, free on the right, had only Moore to beat…and somehow put the ball against the far post. Three minutes later, Boldmere nearly scored. Parry dived full length at a swinging cross from Harry Sweeney…and just failed to connect. The process was repeated ten minutes before the break, from the opposite wing…and this time Parry headed in to give the visitors the lead. Half time: 0-1.

The opening stages of the second period saw Gresley in the ascendancy, Finlay Barker twice firing in from twelve yards, but missing the target. The Mikes burst away with the hour just gone. A pass came in from the right, and Parry doubled his account from well inside the box. Any illusions Boldmere may have had about easing to victory were soon dispelled. Within a minute, a great run from Daniel Munday was finished off by Finlay Barker, close in. Visibly heartened, and egged on by a now noisy and partisan crowd, the Moatmen encountered an increasingly well populated line of defence, working the offside trap effectively. Despite being under pressure Boldmere still fashioned two of the better chances. Substitute Renelle Davis-Lawrence burst clear only to be foiled by Lewis Fenney whilst moments later the same player was bundled over by the keeper for a blatant penalty. Unfortunately, Ben Scott nor his assistant saw it that way. The final ten minutes were pure kitchen sink, the ball hacked off the Boldmere line and cleared away somehow. A rare Boldmere incursion upfield exhibited a severe case of cornerflagitis: from the resultant corner, Boldmere still kept five men back on the half way mark.

Only one yellow card was issued in the game which, though physically played out, was conducted with commendable sportsmanship throughout. Even so, as the tension rose, nerves began to jangle, our referee coming to have a “little chat” with the home bench about remarks made to the linesman, Moore having opprobrium poured upon him for the time he was taking to release the ball. Would the Mikes hold out, as they had done against the Royals on the Saturday previous? Well, almost. In the game’s dying moments, someone at the heart of the Boldmere rearguard shanked a clearance…and there was Barker to slot in the equaliser. Joy for the homesters, disappointment for their opponents; but the small contingent of Boldmere support agreed that a draw was a fair result.

Gresley Rovers: Lewis Fenney; Jayden Cotterill; Dexter Dudley-Toole (Bekir Halil 45); Charlie Jemson; Bradley Masden-Jones; Albert Lansdowne; Daniel Munday; Lewis Belgrave (Stephen Hart 70); Jamie Sleigh; Finlay Barker; James Tague (Riley Davoile 70).
Subs. not used: Haydn Brown; Jaden Forrester.
Boldmere St Michaels: Daniel Moore; Ricardo Dudley (Renelle Davis-Lawrence 70); Tazivaishe Chibaya; Joseph Hull; Harry Craven; Jack Byrne (James Mace 80); Harry Sweeney; Mitch Botfield; Owen Parry; Lewis Allison; Michael Tait-Moran (Jamie Spiers 55).
Subs. not used: Callum North; Callum Gittings.