I have seen Gresley (Rovers) play many times and I really like their homely old fashioned stadium and their sloping pitch. Tonight they were entertaining a team from Sheffield who were 11th in the league. Gresley were 16th at the start of play.
20 years ago Gresley Rovers were on the brink of Conference (tier 5) football and they got to the FA Vase final. Their poor stadium and then financial problems cost them promotion and then caused them to go into administration. They had to reenter the footballing pyramid, as Gresley FC, in the East Midlands Counties League. In the glory days they played Burton Albion in derby games over the Christmas period. Where are Burton Albion now? Tier 2! 'The Ben Robinson Miracle'. Those derby days are long gone but Gresley is still a smashing little club.
As myself and my father and the other 227 fans arrived at the ground we were welcomed by the Tannoy blaring out some old 60s tunes. The Gresley sub's warmed up and after one of them had fired a ball into an adjacent garden he received a berating from the coach "Oy! we've lost 17 balls already this year! They're £28 each!" A 1 minute silence was observed for the passing of the youth teams' coach mother and then the game began.
Gresley started the game more brightly with the advantage of the slope and soon took the lead. Some fast and skillful play down the left produced a chance for the number 10. From the inside of the left hand angle of the box he rifled a shot into the bottom corner of the goal past the 'keeper's right hand.
Gresley had the better of the first-half although the Stocksbridge fast number 7 caused some problems from time to time. Gresley should have gone into the break two goals to the good. A striker was sandwiched by two defenders and a penalty was awarded. A weak right foot shot was easily saved by the 'keeper' falling to his right.
Three injuries to Gresley players upset the balance of the team in the second-half. But Gresley hung on.
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