Football
Second half goals send Gate to defeat

Gresley 2 Highgate United 0

Midland Alliance

TWO goals against the run of play midway through the second half saw Gresley take the points from a game in which Highgate had looked the better side throughout against their third placed hosts.

Able to choose from virtually a full strength squad, just Dan Povey and Karl King being unavailable, manager Keith Checketts went for attack against a team unbeaten in their last 17 games, starting with Luke Benbow and Junior Bennett up front and the pace of Steve Jackson and Josh Allen-Noble on either flank.

A promising resulted in a Jackson drive being blocked on the edge of the box with the first real chance falling to Dan Dineen who, following good work between Bennett and Jackson, brought a close range reflex save out of keeper Tom Gutteridge.

Toby Checketts had earlier made two crucial headed clearances and Sean Edwards in goal was left untroubled by Jamie Jepson’s low shot, although it was Gate who continued to threaten with Dineen producing a disappointing finish at the far post and Benbow curling a speculative 30-yard effort the wrong side of goal.

Steffano Abonandi and Benbow both fired efforts over the bar, Benbow then forced Gutteridge into making an excellent save to deny yet another goalscoring chance.

Shortly before the break Gresley’s Marc Goodfellow brought a good save out of Edwards to ensure the half remained goalless, and having enjoyed the better of the opening 45 minutes, Gate carried on where they left off.

Abonandi’s 20-yard shot was deflected wide, Checketts headed past the post off Jackson’s cross and Dineen failed to connect with Benbow’s threaded pass.

Ben Judd fired a 20-yard free kick into the keeper’s body but with a sense that frustration was entering into the home team’s play so they hit Gate with two quick goals, both scored by Richard Hanslow.

The first on 64 minutes saw the substitute break clear to give Edwards no chance with a crisp drive into the bottom of the net and the second, six minutes later, was the result of a wicked bounce pounced upon and driven home in clinical fashion.

Still Gate continued in search of what was to prove an elusive goal, Alondo Lewis being the last Highgate player to test Gutteridge with a 15-yard attempt into the keeper’s hands.

Highgate entertain Dunkirk on Saturday (3pm) and travel to Heath Hayes on Tuesday evening (7.45pm).