Matlock Town vs Basford United

Matlock Town

1

FT

The Proctor Cars Stadium

FA Trophy

Basford United

2

Match Report

Matlock Town’s six-game winning run came to an end on Saturday as Basford United ran out 2-1 winners in the FA Trophy second qualifying round.

An entertaining tie throughout saw both sides create plenty of chances in varying weather conditions, with Matlock ultimately not carrying the same threat in the second-half as they had in the first and being guilty of being wasteful with the numerous opportunities they did create.

The two sides had met in Nottingham during pre-season and that game produced seven goals, and based on the first-half alone it looked like another goal bonanza was on the cards.

Matlock showed first as Basford keeper Matt Yates was twice called into action in the first four minutes, first turning away Tommy Elliott’s low shot and then doing similar to deny Conor Washington from the resulting corner.

But it was Basford who would go in front after nine minutes. Former Matlock man Curtis Durose tried his luck from the edge the penalty area and keeper Jake Oram could only fumble the ball into the path of Jack Goodman who netted the rebound from close range.

The hosts got level ten minutes later. A corner from the right found Harlain Mbayo whose header was cleared off the line but the ball dropped to Washington ten yards out who smashed an unstoppable volley into the roof of the net.

Oram then produced a fine save low down to turn Jordan Hallam’s low shot past the post, then at the other end Elliott’s neat dink beat Yates but not the far post.

The end-to-end nature continued two minutes later Basford’s Louis Nicholson cut inside from the left and curled in a right-footed effort that was just over the bar.

The second-half again saw plenty of openings, Basford hitting the stanchion behind the goal twice in seven minutes as first Ethan Stewart’s long range strike was just wide and then Callum Cocks saw his shot suffer a similar fate.

Matlock’s Kiyani Clayton forced Yates to save with his legs and then Goodman’s low strike was tipped wide by Oram in the Gladiators’ goal.

Basford then went in front just after the hour mark when defender David Chapman threaded a ball through to Hallam in the penalty area and he slid a low shot past Oram and into the corner of the net.

Yates again denied Matlock with a good stop to deny Washington, then a minute later a ball over the top found Washington who in turn squared to Elliott but with the goal at his mercy he couldn’t divert the ball home from close range.

Nicholson hit the crossbar with a header for Basford as they sought a third goal, then Elliott side footed a shot just wide for Matlock following a free-kick into the box, but ultimately Matlock couldn’t find a goal and the visitors progressed through.

Matlock: Oram, Eratt-Thompson (Giles 87), Milambo, Bachirou, Mbayo, Oglesby, Clayton, Sault (Lawrence 67), Washington, Elliott, Wilson.

Not used: Cunningham, Granite, Ravenhill.

Att: 459