MARC Goodfellow handed Gresley a late Christmas present by scoring a goal in each half to see his side to victory against Heather St John’s yesterday.
Gresley manager Gary Norton made three changes to the side that overcame Tividale last week, with Gary Hateley returning to the goalkeeper’s slot, Kyle Bryant replacing the suspended Rob Spencer and Michael Nottingham coming back into the heart of the defence after recovering from a bout of illness.
The hosts started well and were soon putting Heather under pressure, with Bryant firing wide and Royce Turville heading Goodfellow’s cross from the left over the bar.
A succession of four corners ended with Jamie Barrett heading James Jepson’s final flag kick over the bar after Nottingham had nodded the ball back into the area from the far side.
The first goal then came as a result of a suberb footballing move down the left, which ended with Dean Oliver expertly controlling the ball before picking out Goodfellow.
His first shot was blocked but the rebound was rammed home.
Jepson then made a good run into the area, but the ball was smothered by a couple of defenders before he could shoot, and then a driven cross from the left eluded the outstretched foot of Turville by a matter of inches.
Heather came close to levelling early in the second half when Richard Lewis burst through the back line, only to find Hateley in fine form as he blocked the shot.
Oliver and Goodfellow then combined well with the latter flashing a shot across goal but wide of the far post.
Goodfellow again went close firing a low shot wide of the near post.
Again Hateley needed to react smartly when Heather substitute Chris Waldrum hit a low shot that was well blocked.
At the other end, Oliver went close after rounding the keeper he could only fire into the side netting from a very acute angle.
The second goal came with just a minute of normal time remaining.
A long clearance was brilliantly controlled by Goodfellow who, seeing the keeper advancing, coolly lobbed the ball over Jamie Brassington’s head to send the Moat Ground faithful home very satisfied with their three points.
