Grimsby Borough vs Matlock Town
Grimsby Borough
0Bradley Football Development Centre
Northern Premier League - East Division
Matlock Town
1Match Report
Matlock Town maintained their pursuit of the league leaders in NPL Division One East with a 1-0 win at Grimsby Borough on Saturday.
The Gladiators remain second and six points behind Redcar Athletic who have a game in hand, every win important if they are to stay in with a chance of taking the automatic promotion spot come April.
Having beaten Borough 3-0 in the FA Trophy earlier in the season, Matlock knew largely what to expect from their opponents this time around although the game was far from entertaining in the main, with few clear cut chances and with the Gladiators’ debutant goalkeeper Ashton Rinaldo never seriously tested all afternoon.
But three points and a clean sheet on the road were all that mattered and Matlock now look ahead to two home games in a row where they’ll aim to build on this success.
It took over 20 minutes for either side to create anything much in the way of a chance but it was a good one when it arrived, as Matlock’s Ryan Viggars was sent in on goal at a slight angle and saw his shot tipped over the bar by Borough keeper Seb Auton.
Five minutes later, Cameron Wilson had another good opening but his effort could only find the side netting.
The hosts were offering little going forward and nearly fell behind again just before half-time, this time Jake Thompson making room for a shot but his effort was straight at Auton.
The breakthrough came ten minutes into the second-half. A corner was swung in from the right by Dec Eratt-Thompson and Harlain Mbayo rose highest to head down and into the corner of the net from eight yards out.
Wilson came close again soon afterwards after cutting in from the left and seeing his shot fly just wide, while at the other end, Eratt-Thompson’s superb tackle denied Borough as the ball ran loose in the penalty area.
More good defending then saw Charlie Oglesby throw himself in front of a shot for a corner but Rinaldo hadn’t been challenged throughout the game on his debut and the clean sheet was confirmed soon afterwards, although fellow Chesterfield loanee Gunner Elliott fired a shot straight at Auton in the dying moments as the visitors sought a second.
Matlock: Rinaldo, Eratt-Thompson, Milambo, Bachirou ©, Mbayo, Oglesby, Thompson (K Clayton 75), Flanagan, Viggars (Washington 65), Macdonald, Wilson (G Elliott 89).
Not used: Granite, De Girolamo.