Greenwood...........1 (Derby 56)
Gedling MW .........3 (Hall 3, Wells 30,75)

The Miners travelled to Greenwood with their bit between their teeth on Tuesday evening to earn all three points in a hard fought local derby.

It was the Yellow and Blues that started on the front foot and it took just 3 minutes to open their account. The home defence failed to close down in the final third and Chris Hall hit a sweet volley from 25 yards that whistled into the top corner past the helpless Danny Dobbie in the home goal. In an open contest Gareth Ellis went close twice as did Ash Chadwick for Greenwood. Fine rampaging runs by ex-Carlton Town player Korey Sims were beginning to cause problems for the Gedling defence, and it was from one of these that the first real chance came. Another pacy excursion into the box in the 11th minute was halted by a Demar Hines trip on Sims and the referee had no choice but to award a spot kick. Although Chadwick hit the ball well enough, Andrew Henson superbly kept out the kick for a fine save.

Gedling continued to dominate the midfield in numbers and were clearly motivated and determined to press on to add to the scoreline On the half hour the lead was doubled. A long ball down the left saw a mix up between central defender Paul Murphy and Dobbie who, in an attempt to clear the ball, saw him dispossessed by Kieran Wells who shot low into the empty net. Ellis was on hand in case the ball didn’t go in but the goal was quite rightly credited to Wells for his second in 3 games.
Greenwood came out the second half more determined and the fight back started in the 56 minute when Chadwick cut inside from the left and hit a thunderous shot which Henson couldn’t hold and Richard Derby scored from the rebound. A life line for Greenwood as they pressed forward without any real final punch. Ex Miner Karim Ibrahim, now the Greenwood skipper, shaved the bar with a fine header as Meadows pressed forward for the equaliser.

Gedling hit back determined to close the game out and on 75 came the goal of the game. Rhys Jeffery skipped down the left and his cross into the box was inch perfect. Wells didn’t need to break stride as he met if perfectly for a 3-1 lead. Greenwood had opportunities to reduce the deficit almost immediately. Kory Sims fired a shot once again that rebounded of the Keeper for Bernardo Alves to score the rebound. Home delight was dampened by the linesman’s offside flag. To Alves’s frustration he slammed the ball down onto the keeper. The referee had no alternative to give a second yellow card and point him in the direction of the long walk back to an early bath. Gedling seemed content to sit deep and keep the frustrated the Green and Blacks at arm's length to see the remaining minutes of the second half out. Going forward in support of Wells caused problems all night for Greenwood and central defender Mario Lopez had to be constantly wide awake to stem the Miners forward momentum.

One moment of sublime magic would have bought the house down. Craig Boulton, enjoying a fine game in Gedling’s midfield, tried an audacious lob from inside his own half with Dobbie stranded. The Beckham like attempt only just cleared the home bar by a yard or so.

A fine first win for the Miners who got off to the best possible start and capitalised from then on. There is a firm inner self belief in this young squad, a team spirit and a dressing room togetherness not seen at Plains Road for some time.

REFEREE ~ Mr C. Langton
ATTENDANCE ~ 42

Gedling’s MoM ~ Craig Boulton

Greenwood Meadows ~ Dobbie, Faflick, Fawzi (McKen 85) Lopez, Murphy, Ibrahim (C), Sims, Derby (Cook 72) Chadwick, Sheavills, Branigan (Alves 24)

Yellow Cards ~ Alves (Foul 50, 81) Murphy (Foul 75)
Red Card ~ Alves (second yellow 81)

Gedling MW ~ Henson, Morgan (Muldoon 69) Capewell, Labbate (C) Hall, Wells, Hines, Harding (Pass 80) Ellis, Boulton, Jeffery.
Subs not used ~ Woodward, Williams, Yates.

Yellow Cards ~ Wells (Foul 88)