Grantham Town beat Newark & Sherwood United in the FA Cup

The Gingerbreads progressed into the second qualifying round of the FA Cup with a narrow win over Grantham-based opponents Newark and Sherwood United on Saturday.

In a tight affair with few chances for either side, Grantham manager Louis Bland felt his side deserved the win against their United Counties League Premier Division North visitors who ground-share with Harrowby United this season.

Bland said: "It was a difficult game with the way they pressed high.

"We got into the areas where we thought we could hurt them, but the final ball wasn't the right quality.

"We weren't at our startling best, and it wasn’t the prettiest at times, but in football sometimes the result is the most important thing."

From the start, Grantham looked the better side.

Early on a long clearance from Curtis Hall gave Harry Olivant the first chance of the afternoon, but in the end, he couldn’t get a decent shot away.

Rodrigo Goncalves then played in Bailey Baker who curled in a good effort that Ross Woolley in the Newark goal did well to grasp.

Goncalves was causing problems for the visitors defence all afternoon. On 15 minutes he beat them again on the left wing and delivered a low cross that just evaded everyone in the six-yard box.

Newark’s first effort came after 21 minutes.

A good set up gave Kieran Cummings the chance to hook a shot goalward, but just wide of the target.

A minute later it was Olivant who almost gave Grantham the lead. A perfect through ball sent him clear of the Newark defence. He shot early and beat Woolley, but his effort hit the outside of the post and rolled out for a goal kick.

From the first corner of the game after 33 minutes, Newark almost took the lead themselves.

When the ball was knocked back into the Grantham penalty area, a flicked header from Jamie Williamson was comfortably gathered by Hall.

As half-time approached, another great cross from Goncalves was headed clear from under his own crossbar by Williamson to keep scores level at the break.

For a while after half time the game followed a similar pattern, Grantham had the play but couldn’t find the right finish to some good moves.

Ten minutes into the second half Olivant again turned the Newark defence, cutting inside twice before shooting and forcing a good save from Woolley.

From the corner, Goncalves got on the end of a deep return ball, but from beyond the far post could not get any power on his header.

Further chances from Goncalves and Brad Munns flew wide of the target before Bland brought on Sidney Pereira on 67 minutes.

Within two minutes he had put Grantham in front. Goncalves again set things up with a good cross that initially came off Mason Lee with Pereira on hand to steer it into the net.

Lee and Goncalves could have added to the Grantham lead as the game picked up pace and Grantham exploited gaps in the Newark defence.

Lee touched a long throw from Sam Muggleton wide of the target, then Goncalves forced another save from Woolley.

The best chance fell to Lee on 79 minutes. Goncalves set him free of the Newark defence, Lee’s shot beat Woolley but went wide of the goal.

Newark pressed hard for the last 10 minutes and the added eight, but the Grantham defence - which had been solid all afternoon - maintained its resilience.

Despite almost constant Newark pressure, the Gingerbreads back line were not prepared to let anything past them and Hall was not troubled in the Grantham goal as the victory was secured.