Grantham Town lose to Corby Town in the Northern Premier League Midlands Division
A solitary second half goal direct from a corner sent Grantham Town to defeat at the Meres on Tuesday night.
Danny Gordon was on target with a 77th minute set piece to settle the Northern Premier League Midlands Division clash.
It enabled the visitors to take all three points as a spirited Grantham fightback could not break down a Corby defence that has not conceded so far this season.
Head coach Louis Bland thought the Gingerbreads were unlucky to lose the game based on the second half performance.
He said: "We weren't good enough in the first half.
"We didn't get close to them or play with the personality we have.
"We used the ball well in the second half and got into positions where we could hurt them.
"We were lucky to be level at half-time but I thought unlucky to lose the game in the second period."
Corby started on the front foot and in the third minute a deep pass set Fletcher Toll free behind the Grantham defence but a great point-blank stop from Curtis Hall denied the visiting striker.
The Steelmen spread play well in the first half, playing with confidence from three wins in three games prior to their visit to the Meres.
The Gingerbreads' defence held firm and allowed very few chances.
Corby had the ball in the Grantham net after 17 minutes when Callum Milne blasted in from close range but the assistant's flag ruled his effort out for offside.
With Corby quicker to the ball and showing more determination in the challenge than Grantham, there was very little for the home frontline to work with and, until the last minute of the first half, Corby goalkeeper Ross Durrant was a spectator.
Toll beat the Grantham defence on the right-hand side just after the half hour mark and played a deep ball beyond the Gingerbreads' central defenders.
Gordon's run was perfectly timed for him to strike goalwards, but again Hall saved well.
Gordon was involved again a few minutes later when his free kick came back off the frame of the Grantham goal but again an offside flag stopped the visitors taking the lead.
Against the run of play, Grantham almost hit the front lead just before half-time.
A square ball from the left found Brad Munns on the edge of the Corby penalty area and his low strike was comfortably gathered by Durrant to his right.
It was a different Grantham side after the break.
The Gingerbreads played with determination and confidence of their own and for 45 minutes looked every bit the equals of the league leaders.
Having only forced one corner in the first 45 minutes, the Gingerbreads won two in the first five minutes of the second half.
Between them, Munns set up Leke Shodunke but his shot was blocked by the visitors' defence.
Grantham went close to taking the lead twice in a minute around the hour mark.
A Sam Muggleton long throw bounced through to Munns but his header looped over the crossbar.
A minute later, Mason Lee had a glorious chance to open the scoring as Munns played in Shodunke who squared the ball to Lee with an open goal in front of him.
The cross only needed rolling into the net but Lee couldn't get his shot away cleanly and the chance was lost.
Corby struck back and could have taken the lead themselves a few minutes later.
Hall reacted well to keep out a low free kick from Gordon and Toll blasted the loose ball over the bar again from an offside position.
Richard Black saved Hall from having to deny Corby again a minute later when Charley Sanders worked his way into the box, but Black got in a vital challenge at the expense of a corner.
Hall turned a free kick from Sanders away for another corner after 77 minutes.
Gordon put over a delivery aimed beyond the far post but was delighted to see it curl under the crossbar and into the Grantham net with the home defence unable to get to the ball.
The Gingerbreads reacted well to going a goal behind and took the game to Corby in the last quarter of an hour but could not break down a well organised rearguard.
It was the visitors who could have extended their lead on the break with three good chances.
Gordon delivered a low ball from the Grantham right that fizzed across the six-yard box inches from Sanders’ boot.
Gordon then got onto a poor header from Muggleton, but the Grantham skipper and Louis Nicholson recovered well enough to snuff out the danger.
Hall gave Grantham one last hope in the 93rd minute.
Black fouled Sanders inside the penalty area when the Corby striker turned the Gingerbreads centre half but Hall denied Joe Butterworth from 12 yards, diving to his left to keep out the penalty.
Despite Hall then joining the attack for a Muggleton long throw, there were to be no heroics at the other end as Corby took all three points home.
The defeat leaves Grantham third-from-bottom of the table with one point from their opening three league games.
They travel to Bedworth United on Saturday before hosting Shepshed Dynamo at the Meres on Bank Holiday Monday (3pm).
