Matlock Town vs Bottesford Town

Matlock Town

4

FT

The Proctor Cars Stadium

FA Cup

Bottesford Town

1

Match Report

Matlock progressed to the second qualifying round of the FA Cup with a comfortable home win over step five opponents Bottesford Town on Saturday.

The Gladiators controlled the encounter throughout and although they went into the break level having been pegged back by a Bottesford equaliser late in the first-half, the second saw Adam Clayton’s men turn the screw and ease through.

It made it two wins on the bounce for Matlock as they built on Bank Holiday Monday’s 1-0 success over Ossett United, although this victory gave far much more cause for optimism even when allowing for the fact that their opponents play at the level below.

And the win also set up another home tie in the next round, with fellow step four side Carlton Town set to be the visitors.

Matlock controlled the early stages and their first real chance came when Ben Sault headed wide following a corner, then Kiyani Clayton fired just past the post having found space in the penalty area.

But the opening goal came on the half-hour mark when Jeremie Milambo fed the ball into Cameron Wilson and he fired a powerful effort past keeper Ben Voase.

Ben Matthews forced Myles Boney into action at the other end, before Matlock should have made it two when the ball was squared to Diego De Girolamo in the six-yard box but he volleyed over the bar.

On 41 minutes, Bottesford duly levelled as a neat move ended with Jack McMenemy turning the ball in from close range.

Matlock came out with continued determination in the second-half and had more or less won the tie before it was seven minutes old.

First, Sault burst through the middle and nudged the ball past Voase before running on and putting in the net from a tight angle just as it looked like he might run out of pitch, a defender on the line unable to clear.

Then, from a left-wing corner, the ball sailed across to big defender Harlain Mbayo who was able to nod it in from a yard or so out.

That settled Matlock down fully and Sault went close to a fourth after good work from De Girolamo but his shot went wide.

Liam Ravenhill then went on a fine solo run but shot past the post at the end of it.

Bottesford showed a degree of fight late on, Boney forced to tip one effort over the top from Luke Bullement and then Matthews flicking the ball against the crossbar following a corner as the game entered stoppage time.

But Matlock rounded things off in the closing moments as Wilson produced a terrific run to beat three players and face up to the goalkeeper but being unable to work a shot in time he squared to sub Conor Washington who had the easy task of firing into an empty net.

Matlock: Boney, Eratt-Thompson, Milambo, Ravenhill, Mbayo, Wiley (Oglesby 78), K Clayton (Giles 89), Sault, De Girolamo (Washington 78), Murray (Elliott 70), Wilson.

Not used: Dickenson, Fry, A Clayton.

Att: 404