Gresley boasted every position in their side was occupied by Unibond and above standard players with the odd ex professional. The game started in terrible conditions with a gale force wind blowing straight down the pitch, Borough elected to kick with the wind but Gresley settled quicker with a lot of good possession football using the pace of left winger Tom Betteredge at every opportunity, and switching to the other flank were Brian Woodall was just as effective, Borough couldn't get into the game they were chasing the ball, nobody was getting close enough to get in any tackles, it looked only a matter of time before Gresley would open up a stretched defence. On 14 minutes Borough got caught up field and Gresley counterattacked with Woodall, he attacked John Toyne and went round him with a return pass from Lyons and then put a low cross into the box were the unmarked Rob Spencer side footed past an exposed Lee Graves. Lee Stephenson and Luke Fanthorpe couldn't get hold of anything, balls were being over hit and running through to Simon Baldwin in the Gresley goal. Borough's keeper Graves nearly levelled the scoring with a long wind assisted kick that bounced over Baldwin and just drifted outside of the post. Matthew Oswin and Liam Tuck were working hard trying to combat Slater and Barrett but with the elusive Mickey Lyons playing just off the front man, Gresley looked far more balanced than a fragmented Borough. On the half hour mark Oswin found Fanthorpe who evaded the offside trap to run on and hit a shot straight at Baldwin, it was the only chance Borough had created in a poor first half, they were lucky to be still in the game at 1-0.

Half Time Grimsby Borough 0 v 1 Gresley FC

Borough started the second half in a more determined fashion against the wind, fullback Tommi Wright was know getting his passes held up better down the wings, with the support of the midfield Borough looked a different side, an equaliser looked on the cards when Luke Mascall got round Davies and his cross to the far post was met by Nathan Emson who's volley look like the equaliser but for a good block by Baldwin, Borough were on top and Fanthorpe played Stephenson through on a run to goal but with Blount getting back Stephenson took his shot early straight at Baldwin, Gresley were now on the back foot and Borough needed a goal in this spell, on the hour mark a good biuld up with Wright and Emson got Stephenson in behind fullback Adam Betteredge he crossed low into the six yard box were Mascall had the goal at his mercy but somehow managed to clear the bar, another let off for Gresley. Gresley got their second on 66 minutes with the Borough defence standing off Barrett and from 25 yards he hit a wind assisted drive into the top corner giving Graves no chance, a cruel blow after a good spell were Borough should have at least been on level terms, however this seem to pep up Gresley who were chasing a third goal, but for a miraculous save from Graves off a Woodall pile driver they would have got their third goal. The third goal did arrive on 75 minutes when Woodall cut in from the right wing with no challenge in sight and smashed a slightly deflected shot into the far corner giving the keeper no chance. Darren Hanslip came on for Fanthorpe, Jack Debnam came on for Emson and Antony Rockhill came on for Mascall in an attempt to reguvinate a tired looking Borough. Borough got a deserved consolution goal when Oswin got onto a loose ball in the box to side foot home, but that was the best Borough could hope for, for what was a disappointing performance after last weeks victory against the league leaders. On the other hand praise must go to Gresley who looked an organised professional set up from when they arrived to when they left, on their day they will take some stopping, but as Borough witnessed, consistency is the key to any success.

Full Time Grimsby Borough 1 v 3 Gresley FC

Scorers...

Grimsby Borough... Oswin 80

Gresley FC... Spencer 14, Barrett 66, Woodall 75

Grimsby Borough

Graves,Wright,Toyne,Greetham,Unsworth,Tuck,Emson,Fanthorpe,Stephenson, Oswin,Mascall.
Subs: Hanslip,Rockhill,Debnam.

Gresley F.C.

Baldwin, Hill, A Betteridge, Langford, Blount, Slater, Lyons, Barrett, Woodall, Spencer, T Betteridge
Subs: Turville, Hill, Burnham.