GRESLEY FC are facing something of a striker crisis going into tomorrow’s FA Cup extra preliminary round tie with Deeping Rangers, kick-off 3pm.
Rob Spencer is the only recognised forward fully fit for the trip to Lincolnshire, and looks likely to lead the line in the Moatmen’s second fixture of the season.
Of his team-mates, Royce Turville is nursing a calf strain and Lee Sutton is away on holiday, while Richard Hanslow is short of match practice.
Manager Gary Norton is in talks with Bardon Hill Sports striker and former Moatman Liam Hebberd, but he will not be registered in time for the game, and is suspended for the next three matches anyway.
Norton said: “We put seven days’ notice in for Liam, and we can talk to him now.
“I’ve worked with him before with Gresley in the UniBond League and he is a fast and powerful player who can play wide right or up front.
“We’re struggling a bit because Royce pulled up in the warm-up to last Saturday’s game having injured his calf, and it’s the other calf that was injured before, which is frustrating.
“He says that it’s still sore and has rated himself as very doubtful.
“Lee Sutton is away on holiday and Rich Hanslow is a little bit short on match fitness.” Those unavailable players mean Norton has little choice other than to stick with the 4- 4-1-1 formation he used on Saturday, with Mickey Lyons playing in the hole behind Spencer, in for Sutton.
“Rob has played in that role before, but we are a bit limited in what we can do,” said Norton.
“We have looked at alternatives, such as playing three at the back, but we haven’t had much chance to practice that.” With only one East Midlands Counties League game under their belts so far, Norton admitted he would prefer not to be playing a cup tie this weekend, but insisted the players were as eager for a good run as he was.
“I love the FA Cup, the whole competition is fantastic,” he said.
“We’d love to have a little run, but our priority is the league.” Norton remembers all too well last season’s successful FA Vase run, which saw them reach the quarter-finals but also saw their league campaign suffer as they ultimately missed out on promotion.
He added: “As well as we did in the FA Vase last season, it was a distraction and it came at a cost.” Winger Oliver Hancock, who has impressed Norton in pre-season, has been training this week and could be used as a substitute, while Billy Nugent could also be named on the bench, especially with seven substitutes being allowed in the FA Cup.
Matt Hill and Gareth Langford are away on holiday, while Rhys Powell’s persistent injuries mean he is unlikely to be more than a bit-part player this season.
GRESLEY FROM: Hateley, Hanslow, Coulson, A Betteridge, Woodall, Land, Bate, Gough, Spencer, Butler, Lyons, Slater, Barrett, T Betteridge, Nugent, Hancock.
THE club are running a bus to tomorrow’s game, departing the Gresley Triangle at 11am.
Seats cost £6 and can be booked by telephoning Reg Shorthouse on 07779 049847.
DAVE Hatfield has been appointed as the assistant manager of Gresley’s reserves after previously coaching the club’s youth and A teams.
