Matlock Town FC vs Hyde United
Matlock Town FC
1The Proctor Cars Stadium
Northern Premier League
Hyde United
1Match Report
MATLOCK TOWN 1-1 HYDE UNITED
Matlock were forced to settle for a point after the ten men of Hyde fought back valiantly in the sixth versus second promotion battle that improved in quality as the game wore on.
Al Byrne had put the Gladiators in front in the 59th minute from the penalty spot after Callum Spooner had fouled Karl Demidh and as last man, Spooner was shown the red card .
But if anything the visitors played better with ten men and they deserved their leveller seven minutes from time from Jack Redshaw.
Manager Mattin Carruthers made a couple of changes to the team which had won at Stalybridge in midweek with Saul Deeney earning a reacall between the posts in place of Jim Pollard while captain Adam Yates was restored to the defence, Jaz Goundry making way.
Understandably with the stakes being high, the match got off to a cagey start with both sides seemingly testing each other out.
But there was a glimmer of a chance for the Gladiators in the 8th minute when Ethan Cartwright released Demidh who was closed down but the ball fell to Harry Wakefield whose effort was blocked for an unproductive corner.
Four minutes later John Johnston hoisted his shot wide with Hyde responding speedily but Deeney comfortably collected Redshaw’s ball into the danger area from the left.
Demidh stabbed an awkwardly bouncing ball wide and Byrne volleyed off target at the back post in quick succession before at the other end midfielder Liam Tongue tried his luck from distance after a bout of head tennis in the box but Deeney was equal to it.
The opportunities were very much in the half chance mould, Wakefield then turning smartly but his effort was both comfortably high and wide but Hyde were unfortunate not to take a 39th minute lead when following a free kick twenty yards from goal, their debutant Dane Mc Cullough curled a free kick which rebounded off the post with Deeney beaten.
Matlock had a good spell at the start of the second half that ended with them sneaking in front.
On 49 minutes Wakefield turned a cross from Byrne wide from eight yards before three minutes later goalkeeper Dan Atherton saved Hyde with a fantastic stop, turning away Connor Dimiao’s shot after a Byrne corner had been headed away but into the midfielder’s path.
In between Deeney held a shot from the ever dangerous Redshaw who had cut in from the left while John Johnston joined Saul Milovanovic in referee Richard Eley’s notebook for a foul on Tom Pratt, Milovanovic having impeded Harry Ditchfield close to the end of the opening half.
But the goal came when Demidh escaped down the inside left channel only to be fouled by Spooner and after a wait while Spooner trudged off to the dressing room after his red card, BYRNE convincingly tucked away the spot kick.
Substitute Jorome Slew was unlucky not to double the Gladiators advantage in the 68th minute, turning neatly in the box and shooting low only to see Atherton deny him by pushing away the strike.
Shortly afterwards a cross from Johnston caused pandemonium in the Hyde six yard area and how the ball stayed out was initially a mystery with Slew colliding with the post in the aftermath and Atherton also taking a knock, It later transpired that McCullough had got in a vital clearance
But again Hyde’s tigers came roaring back and Pratt flicked wide from a cross by McCullough before the Matlock post was struck for a second time, Deeney looking to have got the slightest of touches to Tongue’s free kick.
But the equaliser arrived when Redhaw was played in down the left and with the Gladiators a touch slow to react he fired his shot home beneath Deeney to set up a rousing finale.
Both sides could have justifiably claimed the extra two points with Redhaw shooting too high when well placed and Deeney saving a low shot from substitute Edy Maieco. For Matlock Johnston drove directly at Atherton and after Ditchfield took a booking for the team in stopping Johnston, there was a chance in the dying embers, a powerful strike from Byrne being headed away just seconds before the full time whistle.
Both sides showed why they are challenging for promotion with Hyde probably being the more satisfied at the final outcome having to come from behind with ten men. Matlock will no doubt be disappointed that they couldn’t see the job through but they have taken four out of six points from a very good Hyde side.
The 836 fans, the top crowd in the division on the day, will have been well entertained in a match that was in the balance until the very end.
MATLOCK TOWN: 1 Saul Deeney 2 Jamie Sharman 3 Ethan Cartwright 4 Saul Milovanovic (15 Alex Duhameau 71) 5 Adam Yates 6 Ioan Evans 7 Al Byrne 8 Connor Dimiao 9 Karl Demidh 10 Harry Wakefield (12 Jorome Slew 64) 11 John Johnston. Other subs: 14 Jaz Goundry 16 Tyrone Cadeau 17 Jim Pollard
HYDE UNITED: 1 Dan Atherton 2 Harry Ditchfield 3 Dane McCullough 4 Callum Spooner 5 Jordan Fagbola 6 Aaron Fleming 7 Manasse Mampala (15 Edy Maieco 66) 8 Liam Tongue 9 Matthew Fearnley 10 Jack Redshaw 11 Tom Pratt Other subs: 12 Alex Perry 14 Ryan White 16 Rio McEvoy
REFEREE: Richard Eley (Derby) ATTENDANCE: 836 BEST GLADIATOR: Al Byrne