Grantham Town 2-0 Gresley Rovers.

Teams:

Grantham Town:         Richard Stainsby, Dan Starbuck (Tom Mallinson, 27 mins), Chris Shaw, Scott Huckerby (Michael Cunningham, 79 mins), Billy Stubbs, Paul Lister, David Brown, Danny Brooks, Lee Beeson, Michael Vickers (George Zuerner 64 mins), Danny Hargreaves.

Gresley Rovers:           Simon Baldwin, Justis Haydn, James Manley, James Davies, Chris Mawbey (Justin Ashley, 3 mins), Carl Slater, Lee Fell, (Paul Hollis, 58 mins), Tyrell Shannon-Lewis, Chris Burnham, Carl Timms, Jordi Gough (Andy Dunn, 73 mins),. Subs not used: Tony Hemming.

Goalscorers:

Grantham Town:         Beeson (47 mins), Brooks (75 mins).

Referee:                       Mr S Hunter.

Attendance:                262.

The Gingerbreads rounded off their season with one of the best goals seen at the Meres. Danny Brooks capped the win 15 minutes from time with a spectacular effort.

"We have finished the season on a high and we played well second half especially." Said Grantham manager Phil Starbuck after the game. "We had some fantastic chances and should have won more comfortably. We had some woeful misses and at times our decision making was not the best, but a two goal win and a clean sheet, I suppose I am happy-ish!"

The Gingerbreads started brightly with David Brown and Danny Hargreaves causing the Gresley defence problems. Crosses from both flanks had to be dealt with by Simon Baldwin in the Gresley goal, but he needed the help of Lee Fell to keep Brown out after 3 minutes.

Gradually, Gresley began to use the conditions in their favour. With the breeze behind them, they began to make headway. Jordi Gough was given a lot of space by the Grantham defence after 13 minutes. He hit a low shot from 25 yards out, but Richard Stainsby was in the right place to make the save.

Three minutes later, Fell was able to pick his way through three Grantham defenders in the penalty area, but Paul Lister cleared his effort away from in front of Stainsby.

Chris Shaw had a fierce shot blocked by Carl Timms, but it wasn't long before Grantham were on the back foot again. Gough again had time and space to get a shot off. Stainsby again did well to turn his effort away for a corner.

Danny Brooks was only inches away from putting Grantham in front after 27 minutes. Hargreaves cross was headed back by Brown into Brooks' path. The Grantham captain hit his shot well enough, but just too high.

Stainsby was on top form to keep scores level after half an hour. James Davies robbed Brooks on the edge of the penalty area and hit an early shot. Stainsby reacted well to tip his effort over the top.

The visitors finished the first half strongly. Goughs' cross flew across the face of goal with no-one there to turn it in, Tyrell Shannon-Lewis fired just wide after a good move and Gough put a lobbed effort just too high as Gresley looked to take the lead.

Grantham got their noses in front straight after the break. The second half was only two minutes old when Brown delivered a deep cross for Lee Beeson to head powerfully home from six yards out.

Brown did the same after an hour, but this time Beeson could not keep his header down. Grantham were beginning to dominate the game by this stage. On 62 minutes, Shaw launched a cross to the far post into the run of Brown. His volley bounced up kindly for Baldwin. Another good move a few minutes later fell apart when a better pass would have opened up the Gresley defence. Brooks sealed the win with a spectacular strike fifteen minutes from the end. He controlled the ball three yards inside his own half before spotting Baldwin off his line and sending a lob looping over the 'keeper and dropping just over the line.

With the stuffing knocked out of the visitors, Grantham had chance after chance to add to their lead. Baldwin kept Beeson out seven minutes from time with a good stop after Beeson met Hargreaves' cross.

Baldwin denied Brooks another goal as he got behind Brooks 20 yard drive with five minutes to go. Right on the final whistle, a measured pass from Paul Lister split the visitors defence again. Hargreaves was one of three players bearing down on Baldwin. Hargreaves chose to go alone and the Gresley goalkeeper stood up well to deny the Grantham winger.

"The first goal was very important." Starbuck said." There was some great work by David Brown and a great header. That helped us to settle down a bit. Brooksies' goal was an absolute worldie! It was bouncing up on him which made it more difficult, but a fantastic goal."

The season is not quite over for the Grantham squad as Starbuck still has one more task for them.

"They are coming in next week for fitness tests and recording heights and weights" He said. "Then when they come back in June I know where people are fitness wise. My summer doesn't stop, organising pre-season friendlies, signing players, sorting things out which is something I enjoy."