Staveley MW 1-4 Matlock Town
Dene Cropper served early notice that he intends to give joint bosses Phil Drown and Gareth Williams a selection headache for the forward positions with a well taken first half hat trick at Inkersall Road on Saturday.
Matlock were totally dominant in the opening half and could have had a far more emphatic lead by the interval before a plethora of substitutions led to a more even second period. The final outcome though was still never in doubt.
Ryan Laight was given the skipper's armband, partnering Ryan Davis in central defence with Matty Thorpe and new signing Lee Featherstone starting in the full back positions. Ashley Foyle and Cameron Fearon had knocks so were not risked. Liam King and triallist Simon Harrison ran the show in central midfield with Gary Webster and Matty Caudwell beginning on the flanks. Another triallist, Jake Williams from Chesterfield partnered Cropper up front with the Gladiators having a strong bench which included Steve Warne, Simon Barraclough and Jamie Jackson.
King and Harrison soon had the Gladiators surging forward and Webster's 2nd minute centre had the home defence struggling, being relieved to escape with a corner which on this occasion came to nothing. Williams' movement was causing Staveley countless problems and he was unlucky not to open the scoring from 22 yards following a smart turn. The pressure was maintained with Williams having a shot desperately blocked after fine approach play from King and Webster and it was no surprise when the Gladiators went in front in the 12th minute.
The sprightly Caudwell swung in an excellent corner from the right and CROPPER found room to power in a bullet like header. Two minutes later Caudwell produced a searching cross from the left and Webster headed into the sidenetting at the far post.
A second goal was not long in coming as on 21 minutes, Harrison and King again opened up Staveley's overworked rearguard with the ball breaking to Thorpe who crossed long and true and CROPPER's trademark header flew into ther roof of the net.
Caudwell's diagonal strike from the left was charged down but CROPPER completed his hat trick by the 26th minute when from a corner on the left, Laight was held back illegally and the penalty was superbly put away by the 6'2" hit man, who was looking hungry and imposing.
Andy Richmond was having the easiest of afternoons, not having a single shot to save before the break and the half came to an end with King feeding Harrison whose daisycutter was only a matter of inches wide of the target.
Cropper was taken off to give Barraclough a taste of the action and the Staveley defence must have breathed a huge sigh of relief. Matlock were caught napping three minutes after the resumption when LEE GREGORY was allowed a free header from a corner to reduce the deficit.
Ruben Wiggins-Thomas and Jackson both went close and Barraclough was closer still as home custodian Jermaine Jordan pushed his shot into the air with the ball dropping on to the top of the net.
Richmond was at last called into action as Staveley made inroads into the Town defence down the flanks with a couple of important blocks, but after Barraclough had nodded an excellent cross from Jackson wide and Jake Pidcock had forced an outstanding save from Jordan, BARRACLOUGH completed the scoring with three minutes left.
Again it was from a set piece with Laight knocking back Jackson's right wing flag kick for last season's top scorer to drive fiercely home.
So a promising start for Matlock but they will know too well that far more searching examinations await them in the coming months. For long periods and in particular in the opening half, it was men against boys. Nevertheless, it represented a useful start to the preparations for the coming campaign.
MATLOCK TOWN: Richmond, Thorpe, Featherstone, King, Laight, Davis, Webster, Harrison, Cropper, J Williams, Caudwell. 2nd half subs: D Williams, Barraclough, Jackson, Wiggins-Thomas, Warne, Pidcock.
REFEREE: Nigel Smith (Chesterfield) ATTENDANCE: 100 Est. STAR MAN: Dene Cropper.
