Pre-season Friendly Match Report: Gresley Rovers 0-1 NTFC

24 Jul

Justin Marsden scores the only goal of the game, late in the second half.

Nuneaton Town headed to Gresley Rovers of the United Counties League Premier South (Step 5) for their penultimate pre-season friendly.

The first half was tetchy, with neither side able to keep possession for more than a few seconds, and plenty of passes going astray. Apart from a few pot shots that went well wide, there was not much of note to speak of in the first 25 minutes or so as both sides tried to get a control of the game.

On 25 mins Gresley's number 8 Dylan Hunniford was booked for a late challenge. A minute later, Stuart Hendrie, a recent signing for Nuneaton, created the first good chance as a cross from the left from him evaded the toes of Boro players and was grabbed by Joe Williams in the Gresley goal.

Immediately after Gresley attacked and a shot fell to Kane Lee who's shot from the edge of the box was well held by Brandon Bache in the Boro goal.

Gresley then got some joy down the right and the cross found a man at the back post free, but somehow he shot straight at Bache who held on.

With things getting a bit heated between the dugouts of both sides, the referee showed a red card to assistant manager Paul Tomlinson after the linesman appeared to take issue with something that was done or said. Gresley still had time before half time to put another shot wide from inside the box.

Half time: Gresley Rovers 0-0 Nuneaton Town

The second half started with Marsden and a trialist replacing the trialist number 9 and Josh Whitehouse. Immediately, Boro found joy with Batchelor getting a shot away in the box, which the defender just about deflected over the bar off his goalline. From the corner, Cody Mullan got another shot away but his was saved by the keeper.

On 58 minutes Hendrie got away down the right and tried to chip the advancing keeper but the height wasn't enough and it was saved.

Bache's goal led a charmed life again as a header from Gresley inside the box cannoned off the post and straight into his gloves.

Corey Currithers got a shot away from the edge of the box that was just over the bar at the other end.

On 66 minutes, the deadlock was finally broken as a through ball was played to Justin Marsden and he made the finish look easy sliding it past the advancing keeper. 1-0 to Boro.

Remaining subs came on and Boro managed the game with little of note in terms of chances. However on 90 minutes, Gresley's number 18 inexplicably kicked out at one of Boro's young trialists off the ball, and was duly sent off. He hadn't even got to the changing room when the referee blew for full time.

Full time: Gresley Rovers 0-1 Nuneaton Town

Attendance: 289

A good resilient win against higher opposition where they rode their luck at times, but this Nuneaton team have made themselves hard to score against in pre-season, and they will hope to continue it come August.

Joint manager Darren Acton said after the game:

“I thought the first half we were OK, we were giving the ball away a lot in cheap areas. Second half we rectified that, we landed on a lot more second balls. They (Gresley) created a lot of chances first half, but second half we were the better team. Brandon pulled off a couple of good saves.”

On the trialists:

“The trialists have done fantastic and we are looking to talk to them. We need a squad with 16 or so games coming up in the next 2 months. All the lads, even the young ones, have done really well when they've come on.”

On the next game away to Coventry Sphinx:

“Another tough game, every game we've played has been tough, but we can go in on a high, we've had 2 clean sheets, we just want to improve a bit more on our creating goals.”

Bache, Mullan, Batchelor, Currithers, Daly, Recci, Hendrie, Somel, trialist, Williams, Josh Whitehouse

Subs: Birta, Marsden, trialist x4 (all used)

Written by Matt Jones