Matlock Town FC vs Guiseley AFC
Matlock Town FC
2The Proctor Cars Stadium
Northern Premier League
Guiseley AFC
1Match Report
MATLOCK TOWN 2-1 GUISELEY
It’s been a while in coming but Matlock finally reached their safety target off their own back with a notable victory over an indisciplined Guiseley who were outsiders for a play off spot at 3 pm on Saturday.
Liam Hardy, so often the Gladiators’ nemesis in the past at Buxton, scored both goals, including a 93rd minute decider to leave most of the 720 in attendance both delighted and relieved. As it was the victory proved to be academic with Stafford Rangers, who needed maximum points from their remaining matches, losing at Atherton Colleries.
But in terms of team and fans morale, the win was massive. It ended a losing run of five matches but the performance proved that Matlock had the resolve necessary to bring home the corn, a quality missing in recent matches.
Saul Deeney was recalled in goal in place of Myles Wright, while Kornell McDonald and Tavonga Kuleya also made the starting line up in place of Connor Dimaio and Andrew Wright, George Wilkinson returning to the squad after injury as a substitute. Guiseley included former Gladiators Reece Kendall, Callum Chippendale, Leigh Whelan and Kallan Murphy in their starting eleven.
Matlock began well , their industry forcing Guiseley back as they forced three swift corners which brought no reward. On 10 minutes a ball from Adam Yates was helped on to Hardy whose shot lost its venom via a deflection which gave goalkeeper Ollie Battersby a comfortable save.
Three minutes later a teasing free kick from Chippendale was knocked goalwards by Murphy, Deeney diving smartly to his right to push the ball away to safety.
Both teams had interim bosses, Guiseley’s Liam Tongue being prepared to shoot at virtually every opportunity, often seeing his efforts well blocked by Matlock defenders.
But it was Matlock who went desperately close on 19 minutes, John Johnston’s ball from the right causing havoc as both Tavonga and Hardy had efforts blocked on the line by a relieved Battersby.
Guiseley’s luck ran out though four minutes later, Kuleya escaping down the left and a deft, clever finish from HARDY left Battersby helpless to give Town a vital and deserved lead.
The Lions started to show their teeth more as Matlock were forced back. But they allowed their frustration to get the better of them on numerous occasions, ending up with seven yellow cards and an annoying habit of continuously surrounding referee Martin Beard who refused in the main to bow down to intimidation.
But in this spell the visitors; shooting left much to be desired, Kendall and Gabriel Johnson firing harmlessly too high from distance before Chippendale fared better but did not account for Deeney pulling off a top save from his well struck drive. Matlock then scrambled clear Kendall’s long throw and resulting cross, Deeney held a Tongue strike before at the other end in the dying seconds of the half, a Nathan Whitehead header was knocked off the line.
Matlock could be quite satisfied with their work thus far but they had to be wary of a strong response from the Yorkshiremen. Murphy tried his luck after a free kick was blocked, Deeney saving comfortably but eleven minutes in Guiseley were back on level terms. Murphy appeared to go down far too easily under challenge from Ioan Evans to win a dubious spot kick which was put away by KENDALL, his shot just beating Deeney’s dive.
With Matlock’s tendency to not last the ninety minutes in recent matches, Guiseley were now perhaps favourites to take the spoils.
But to their credit the Gladiators regrouped and despite having more of the play, the Lions failed to seriously test Deeney, even when the giant former Chesterfield striker Tom Denton entered the fray with thirteen minutes to go.
Matlock rallied late on with a Johnston centre missing Hardy’s head by an ace before claiming a memorable victory three minutes into stoppage time. Kuleya gained possession midway inside the Guiseley half and sprayed a pass to the right to Johnston who held off a despairing tackle to cross for HARDY who lunged forwards to head in off the bar for the most dramatic of winners.
The vocal Matlock crowd went wild, chants of we are staying up rang around the Proctor Cars Stadium before a minute later Mr Beard blew his whistle for the final time .
An agonising fortnight came to an end as Yates and Mark Atkins enjoyed their first victory at the fourth attempt.
It was all smiles for those in blue and white but also there is a realisation that there’s much hard work to do in the summer to make Matlock promotion challengers once more.
MATLOCK TOWN: 1 Saul Deeney 2 Kornell McDonald (12 George Wilkinson 67) 3 Joe West 4 Nathan Whitehead (15 Connor Dimaio 72) 5 Adam Yates 6 Ioan Evans 7 John Johnston 8 Curtis Durose 9 Scott Boden 10 Liam Hardy (16 Ollie Clark 90+4) 11 Tavonga Kuleya Other subs: 14 Nat Crofts 19 Myles Wright
GUISELEY: 1 Ollie Battersby 2 Luke Partington 3 Reece Kendall 4 Liam Tongue 18 Josh Ashman 6 Jameel Ible 7 Leigh Whelan (12 Tom Denton 77) 8 Callum Chippendale (14 Adam Dawson 67) 9 Kallan Murphy 10 Gabriel Johnson 11 Ollie Brown (17 Tom Pratt 86) Other subs: 15 Oluwagbenga Afliye 16 Luke Mariette
REFEREE: Martin Beard (Kimberley) ATTENDANCE: 720 BEST GLADIATOR: Liam Hardy .