Chasetown started brightly and rewarded the 154 who ignored the demands of Ukraine-England in the World Cup qualifiers with an attacking display from the first whistle.

On the quarter hour mark, Nick Wellecomme superbly flicked the ball into Simon Brown’s path and Brown curled a peach of an effort goalwards which Ross Etheridge did well to keep out.

Brown was floored under a challenge from Strzyzewski but, although the offence was outside the area, the referee waved any claims for a free kick just outside the box, and then Chasetown had a penalty appeal turned down when Danny Smith claimed his shirt was being pulled by John Guy, who had been booked for a scything tackle after just 4 minutes.

Jack Farmer saw a dipping header narrowly clear the crossbar from a Brown corner as Craig Harris’ men exerted their authority on the game.

As so happens though, against the run of play, the Derbyshire side took the lead. When Kieran O’Connell was sent tumbling in the penalty area, Referee Mr Billingham had no hesitation pointing to the spot and Marc Goodfellow despatched the penalty to debutant Danny Watson’s right as the keeper went to the opposite corner.

Smith had a shot blocked by Guy as Chasetown tried to get straight back on terms and did level in the 39th minute when Smith flicked into the path of Wellecomme who fired goalwards with the ball squirting between the legs of Etheridge who should have done better.

Wellecomme was on fire throughout the game and two minutes before the break beat man after man inside the penalty area before squaring the ball to Grant Beckett who drove the ball high over the bar from 12 yards.

The half closed with the Scholars still on top, with Smith and Brown combining again for a Wellecomme header which was inches wide of the woodwork.

Gresley were leading a charmed life at the back and Guy almost had his keeper in all sorts of trouble with a sliced clearance that could have gone anywhere and luckily for him did not nestle in his own goal.
Danny Bragoli with a header and a low drive from Lee Butler kept the pressure on, but despite the dominance, Chasetown were still striving for a breakthrough.

Eventually, their patience and determination was rewarded when Brown tricked his way into the area past two defenders and was tumbled to the ground by Sam Grice. Brown capped a fine individual performance with a powerful penalty into the roof of the net.

Etheridge had to scramble back to keep out a defensive header from substitute Liam Guest which almost added to Chasetown’s lead, but in the final minute, Chasetown had to survive a scare of their own, as defender Louis Keenan had to clear off the line by the left hand post.

Chasetown: Danny Watson, Jack Farmer, Louis Keenan, Chris Slater, Tesfa Robinson, Avun Jephcott (Lee Butler, 65 mins), Simon Brown, Danny Bragoli, Nick Wellecomme, Danny Smith (Marco Adaggio, 77 mins), Grant Beckett

Other subs: Andy Westwood, Richard Teesdale, Leigh Downing (not used)

Gresley FC: Etheridge, Johns (Guest, 87 mins), Harrison, Strzyzewski, Guy, Grice, Graves, Jepson (Holmes, 77 mins), O’Connell, Spencer, Goodfellow.

Other subs: R Butler, Fitzhugh, Withers (not used)