Ashton United vs Matlock Town FC
Ashton United
3Hurst Cross
Northern Premier League
Matlock Town FC
2Match Report
Matlock Town put up a valiant display on Tameside on Tuesday night but hosts Ashton United ultimately ran out 3-2 winners in new Gladiators boss Ryan Cresswell’s first game in charge.
Appointed just 24 hours prior to the game, Cresswell took his place in the dugout alongside assistant Shaun Brisley and watched on as his new charges produced some encouraging performances against a well-organised Ashton outfit who now lie third in the early standings.
And whilst the goals Matlock conceded will have frustrated their new boss, in attack they looked much brighter which will be a relief to the fans who before last weekend’s win over Workington had been deprived of much in the way of goals – four in two games having helped rectify that since.
Matlock began well and ten minutes in a corner from the right found Joe West but his header came back off the crossbar.
Ashton skipper Luke Burke forced Rogan Ravenhill into a fine save at the other end, tipping a long range effort past the post, but the hosts would eventually take the lead on 28 minutes as Darius Osei found space to slide the ball across the six-yard box and James Hardy was on hand to tap in at the far post.
And the lead was doubled on 41 minutes when Connor O’Grady couldn’t get enough contact when trying to clear a long ball and the ball dropped for Hardy who proceeded to run on and square for Jason Gilchrist to net from close range.
Montel Gibson fired just wide from 25 yards out after cutting inside right on half-time, but the break arrived with work to do for the Gladiators.
Matlock came out with renewed vigour in the second-half and quickly pulled a goal back, Benni Ndlovu running on to a through ball and nicking the ball past keeper Jordan Eastham for it to roll into the net.
But after Sean Newton had gone close to a third from distance for Ashton, they registered again on 58 minutes as a deep cross found Osei whose looping header beat the back-pedalling Ravenhill and dropped into the net.
That would ultimately prove crucial as Matlock then threw plenty at the hosts in an attempt to salvage something from the game, pulling a goal back on 68 minutes when Curtis Durose’s strike found the corner of the net after Keenan Ferguson’s cross was touched back to him 12 yards out.
But despite several promising attacks, the equaliser wouldn’t come – Ndlovu going closest with three minutes to go as his header was saved low down by Eastham.
Matlock now prepare for a trip to fellow strugglers FC United of Manchester on Saturday.
Ashton: Eastham, Cowan, McCourt (Denton 73), Newton, Burke, Baird, Couto, Hardy (White 73), Gilchrist (Lowe 73), Osei, Bryan (Bjork 83).
Not used: O'Keefe.
Matlock: Ravenhill, Ferguson, Kendall (Poole 90), Dimaio, O'Grady, Oglesby, Ndlovu, West, Campbell, Durose (Smith 74), Gibson.
Not used: Ashman, Essien, Morris.
Att: 258
Star Gladiator: Benni Ndlovu