Matlock Town FC vs Shirebrook Town
Matlock Town FC
2The Proctor Cars Stadium
DCFA Senior Challenge Cup
Shirebrook Town
0Match Report
MATLOCK TOWN 2-0 SHIREBROOK TOWN
It was a far from vintage performance but Matlock did just enough to see off a plucky Shirebrook side who played some excellent football in Wednesday night’s Derbyshire Senior Cup clash.
Goals in each half from top scorer Jonny Margetts and substitute Olly Clark booked Matlock’s place in the last eight. The Gladiators struggled to shake off rustiness having not been in action for two and a half weeks when they won 3-2 at FC United of Manchester.
So it was a good game for Matlock to have especially with Margetts back in the starting eleven, manager Martin Carruthers opting to give him 45 minutes following hamstring trouble sustained in the FA Trophy defeat at Curzon Ashton on November 18. Carruthers named a strong side with Finlay Armond replacing the cup tied Michael Williams in midfield.
There was little to enthuse the 228 strong crowd in the opening exchanges, Matlock in particular persisting in falling into a well worked Shirebrook offside trap which halted a good number of their attacks. Matlock had the first two chances, Anthony Dwyer’s twenty five yarder drifting harmlessly high and wide before visiting goalkeeper Owen Evans dived at Margetts feet with the Gladiators number ten looking to convert a low cross from Joe West.
Then almost immediately came a collectors item, Margetts missing a gilt edged chance when he drove high over the bar from a John Johnston cross from the right. It looked easier to score.
Shirebrook threatened on the half hour mark when Marcus Day lifted his shot over Saul Deeney who had ventured to the edge of his box but Ioan Evans was well placed to clear a couple of yards from the line.
Another good chance for the hosts came from West’s cross from the left, Johnston lifting his effort over the bar from six yards out.
Shirebrook’s Carlton Carty looked yards offside when he shot straight at Deeney, the assistant this time extraordinarily not raising his flag but that was the prelude to Matlock taking a 35th minute lead, Margetts breaking clear down the inside left channel before gliding a typically calm finish low beyond Evans into the opposite corner.
On the balance of possession, the lead was deserved but Shirebrook simply would not lie down when they started the second period on the front foot.
Alex Duhameau replaced Margetts with the substitute almost instantly setting up Dwyer whose shot swerved well wide of the back post.
Shirebrook were certainly not out of contention and they had a good fifteen minute spell. A free kick was cleared as far as Day with Deeney doing well to keep out the well struck shot, The tricky Carlton Carty then shook off some unconvincing challenges with Deeney again being the barrier with another important stop. The veteran Matlock number one then caught a deflected strike from Visiting skipper Nat Watson and Deeney again was well placed to keep out a firmly hit blast from Day.
But Shirebrook found themselves further behind twenty minutes into the new half, CLARK directing his header from a Johnston corner beyond Evans with his first touch.
It was a hammer blow for the NCEL Division One side although Kyani Clayton would become the latest unable to beat Deeney who saved the low strike with comfort.
Clark might have netted again, his twenty yarder being pushed clear by Evans with Evans then blocking a Duhameau effort with his legs. The second goal had done Matlock a power of good as Armond was denied virtually on the line after the lively Duhameau had fashioned the opportunity.
Shirebrook ran out of steam and ideas near the end but they had certainly put up a decent fight.
Matlock will be pleased with the result from a game which gave them the ideal stage to blow off the cobwebs from their extended lay-off,
MATLOCK TOWN: 1 Saul Deeney 2 George Wilkinson (16 Jamie Sharman 84) 3 Joe West 4 Nathan Whitehead 5 Adam Yates 6 Ioan Evans 7 John Johnston 8 Finlay Armond 9 Karl Demidh (14 Olly Clark 64) 10 Jonny Margetts (12 Alex Duhameau 46) 11 Anthony Dwyer Other subs: 16 Andrew Wright 18 Alex Akers
SHIREBROOK TOWN: 1 Owen Evans 2 Igor Mlynarski (12 Adam Kimberley 67) 3 Josh Devereux 4 A J Greaves (14 Joe Parkin 67) 5 Ashley Grayson (15 Liam Wallwork 77)6 Josef Turner 7 Carlton Carty 8 Kiyani Clayton 9 Kieran Watson 10 Nat Watson 11 Marcus Day Other sub: 16 Ben Partridge
REFEREE: Harry Jones (Belper) ATTENDANCE: 228 BEST GLADIATOR: Adam Yates