Matlock Town vs Garforth Town AFC

Matlock Town

3

FT

The Proctor Cars Stadium

Northern Premier League - East Division

Garforth Town AFC

3

Match Report

Matlock Town produced a stunning fightback against ten-man Garforth Town on Tuesday night – but it still wasn’t enough to take all three points.

With the visitors 2-0 up at half-time but having also had a man sent off, Matlock battled back to score three goals in ten minutes as the game entered stoppage time.

But with Montel Gibson’s stunning 94th minute strike looking like it had won the match, Garforth struck a deflected late equaliser two minutes later with virtually the last kick of the game.

Even the dramatic finish told only half the story.

Matlock had laboured for much of the encounter, falling behind on 17 minutes when Max Tweddle’s long-range strike was fumbled by keeper Myles Boney and the ball dropped over the line and into the net.

Garforth were creating the better moments, while Matlock were building well enough until the final third when things generally fell apart without testing Harry Flatters in the visitors’ net.

But Garforth were then reduced to ten men four minutes before the break. Matlock made a meal of clearing possession but as they did, Charlie Marshall was deemed to have gone in too high on Dec Eratt-Thompson and was promptly sent off.

That saw Garforth move into a far more protective mode but as Matlock still struggled to penetrate, a heavy blow came on the stroke of half-time as more indecision at the back eventually led to Rinor Ejupi netting from close range.

The second-half inevitably then became a case of attack versus defence as Garforth fought to maintain their lead and Matlock added more firepower to break them down.

Despite a few half chances, Flatters was rarely tested, but that all changed on 83 minutes as Liam Ravenhill’s cross was powerfully headed home by Gibson to suddenly give Matlock hope.

Four minutes later, they were level, as the ball found Diego De Girolamo in the penalty area and he slammed it home to leave the Gladiators suddenly gunning for a winner.

And it seemed they’d got it four minutes into six added on, as Gibson took a bouncing ball on the right-hand edge of the penalty area and smashed a stunning half volley into the net to spark ecstatic scenes amongst Matlock players, fans and staff.

But it would all very dramatically go pop. Garforth threw on two more attacking players and with Matlock not locking the door at the back securely enough, a ball into the box was only partly cleared and Nash Connolly’s speculative effort from distance hit a defender which totally wrong-footed Boney as the ball arrowed into the top corner of the net to again trigger delirium all round but this time it being the visitors celebrating what, in the circumstances, was a hard-earned point.

Matlock: Boney, Ravenhill, Milambo, Bachirou, Oglesby (Washington 46), Wiley, Eratt-Thompson (Morris-Clayton 64), Sault, De Girolamo, Gibson, Wilson.

Not used: Fry, Giles.

Att: 602