Matlock Town FC vs Ashton United
Matlock Town FC
5The Proctor Cars Stadium
Northern Premier League
Ashton United
1Match Report
MATLOCK TOWN 5-1 ASHTON UNITED
“Where did that come from?” was the consistently asked question after Matlock severely dented Ashton’s play-off aspirations with this convincing victory.
Matlock showed the flair, resilience and composure seldom seen in 2024 to upset the odds and were fully worth the three points which takes them above Workington and into 16th place in the NPL Premier Division table. Ashton stay sixth and still trail fifth placed Hyde on goal difference. They will be anxiously awaiting the scoreline from Guiseley v Worksop on Tuesday to see if they remain favourites to snatch the last play off spot when they face Marine in their final game at the weekend.
With Mark Atkins back in the dug out, Adam Yates returned to the starting eleven to partner Ioan Evans in the heart of the defence. There were also recalls for skipper John Johnston and midfielder Harry Wood plus striker Scott Boden following the narrow 2-1 defeat at Hyde on Saturday.
Ashton’s problems began very early as they were behind after just 6 minutes with their most experienced defender SEAN NEWTON slicing a Johnston cross into his own net after the Town captain had crossed low and invitingly from the right. It was the start of an unexpectedly tough evening for the Tameside outfit lacking striker Jason Gilchrist through suspension and former Matlock winger Alex Byrne, watching from the sidelines on crutches with an achilles injury. Former Gladiators Paul Cooper in goal and midfielder Brad Abbott featured for the Robins in what turned out to be a miserable return to one of their old stomping grounds.
That goal worked wonders in terms of confidence for the hosts who would gpo close seven minutes later, Saul Deeney;s quick throw releasing Johnston to scamper eighty yards before firing wide of Cooper’s left hand post.
Warren Clarke briefly threatened down the left for the Robins but his cross flashed across the box. Soon afterwards from a quickly taken free kick out on the right by Joe West, Johnston threatened again, his cross being hacked out for an unproductive corner.
Nat Crofts would then see his shot deflected behind after good work by Boden and Johnston but the pressure paid dividends after 28 minutes, Ashton failing to clear yet another flag kick and CROFTS out on the left produced a super finish, clinically firing into the far corner.
Some ducks stole the show and aimed to be top of the bill when they invaded the arena with Liam Hardy and Ashton’s Dan Cowan doing their best to persuade the quacking pair to take their leave, much to the amusement of the crowd.
Hardy and Boden had efforts kept out by Cooper with Matlock well on top before at the other end, Keilen Adams in a replica of Clarke's earlier foray fired across the box.
Towards the end of the half Deeney was tested for the first time from a corner met by Abbott’s header that was straight at him.
For Matlock it was a dream half while Ashton would be having nightmares, their troubles not ending there,
They decided on all out attack in the second period with Bernardo Couto and James Hardy replacing Newton and Mitchell Rose from the very start.
Then it was nearly three as Crofts latched on to a raking pass from Wood on the left to cut inside and shoot inches wide. Immediately there would be more problems for the Robins, defender Dan Cowan limping off and forward Marxcus Cusani taking his place.
Adams fiercely shot too high from distance but with Ashton committing players forward they were left exposed on 58 minutes thanks to a superb solo effort from GEORGE WILKINSON who robbed Clarke on the half way line before striding confidently forward to thread a low left footer into the far corner.
Deeney held a tame effort from Jake Charles before it was four on 63 minutes, West and Crofts linking well to feed WOOD whose twenty yarder took the slightest of deflections to comprehensively beat Cooper.
With the youngsters in the crowd in full voice, they inspired Matlock to keep going as Ashton tried to mount a recovery. Charles again could only shoot straight at Deeney and a marvellous block by Evans from another Charles effort summed up the commitment on the field to a tee.
Substitute Tavonga Kuleya then teased Ashton further, skipping past opponents with consummate ease, Hardy being unable to finish the move. He then opened up Ashton again, Curtis Durose unselfishly attempting to feed Hardy before Sam Baird intervened.
Ashton persevered but it was plainly not their night. Cooper held another Wood blast at full stretch before with six minutes remaining came the Robins’ consolation, a brilliantly struck thirty five yarder by COUTO whistling past Deeney for the goal of the game.
But Matlock were still hunting for more as Kuleya robbed Luke Burke only to be thwarted by a magnificent fingertipped save by Cooper. Durose shot wide while Ashton’s Adams cross was too high for the advancing Charles and Abbott sliced wide.
KULEYA though got the goal he deserved and had threatened two minutes into added time, intercepting a tired visiting pass to shoot convincingly past Cooper for Town’s nap hand. There was still time for Durose to fire a foot wide before the final whistle shrilled to confirm Matlock’s best performance in an age and a great victory. It shows how crazy the NPL Premier Division can be.
MATLOCK TOWN: 1 Saul Deeney 2 George Wilkinson 3 Joe West 4 Harry Wood (16 Connor Dimaio 82) 5 Adam Yates 6 Ioan Evans 7 John Johnston (14 Tavonga Kuleys 67) 8 Ollie Clark 9 Scott Boden 10 Liam Hardy 11 Nat Crofts (15 Curtis Durose 71) Other subs: 12 Nathan Whitehead 17 Andrew Wright
ASHTON UNITED: 1 Paul Cooper 2 Dan Cowan(14 Marcus Cusani 49) 3 Sean Newton (12 Bernardo Couto 46) 4 Nathan Lowe 5 Luke Burke 6 Sam Baird 7 Brad Abbott 8 Mitchell Rose (16 James Hardy 46) 9 Jake Charles 10 Kielen Adams 11 Warren Clarke
REFEREE: Luke Watson (Barnsley) ATTENDANCE: 471 BEST GLADIATOR: Everyone in a five star show!