Hart strikes to save point for Moatmen
GRESLEY Rovers stretched their unbeaten run in the UCL Premier Division North to 14 games but had to settle for a point, being held 1-1 draw by Deeping Rangers at the Moat Ground, writes Harry Tizard.
The away side took a deserved lead through William Bird in the first half but the Moatmen were the better side in the second half and broke a resolute Deeping defence in the 68th minute through top scorer Steve Hart.
Deeping began the game with a direct style but it was a moment of individual quality that caused the biggest danger.
Jake Walton skipped through two Gresley defenders past the halfway line but his speculative dipping effort from 30 yards was collected with ease by Lewis Fenney, who has been named the division’s player of the month for October.
Gresley dominated possession but struggled to make it count, with Lucas Harrison the only one going close to threatening Daniel Swan’s goal early in the game.
Played in on the left by Connor Ward, Harrison shot into the side netting from a tight angle after his initial attempted cross had been blocked.
Deeping, who went into the game both out of form and with a depleted squad, looked more dangerous and Jake Brown’s lofted cross found the feet of Bird at the back post for a shot across goal that whistled wide.
The visitors then took the lead after 29 minutes.
Charlie Coulson’s dinked ball over the Rovers defence was latched on to by Bird, who drove the ball under Fenney.
Gresley switched Kane Lee from the wing to a striking role and it almost made an immediate difference as he controlled a ball from Connor Ward well but could only direct his shot into the hands of Swan.
But the Moatmen’s only other chance of the half saw Hart blast a free kick from the edge of the area over the bar.
Deeping almost doubled their lead before the break when Coulson curled the ball into the box and Luke Hunnings’ header hit the top of the bar.
Rangers kept going after the break, too, and a curling shot from Brown beat a back-tracking Fenney and rattled the bar before Daniel Bannister’s follow-up did the same.
Ambitious efforts from Corey
Bucalossi and Hart failed to trouble Swan, then Hart was flagged offside when he had the ball in the net.
But Hart, having gone a couple of games withbout a goal, got himself back on track when the ball was launched into the box by Ryan Seal and Deeping failed to clear it.
It bobbled around and Hart eventually rammed it into the net.
Now the visitors looked to hold on to their point and Swan became the buisest man in their side, making two strong saves in quick succession.
Having got down well to palm away a low drive from Seal, he then pushed a lobbed attempt from substitute Louis Briscoe over the bar.
Mason Frizelle got forward to send a venomous shot towards goal but again Swan was in the way.
The draw keeps Gresley ahead of third-place Anstey Nomads, who drew with Quorn, but unbeaten leaders Long Eaton United stretched further away with a 5-0 win away to Eastwood CFC.
The Moatmen now face three consecutive away fixtures, starting with an FA Vase clash against Loughborough Students on Saturday.