Scarborough Athletic vs Matlock Town FC
Scarborough Athletic
2Flamingo Land Stadium
Northern Premier League
Matlock Town FC
1Match Report
SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC 2-1 MATLOCKTOWN
Matlock’s promotion hopes were dashed by a totally dominant second half performance from Scarborough who deservedly made it through to a home play-off final with Warrington Town on Monday.
The Gladiators had done well in the first half, having been the better side but after the interval Scarborough turned on the heat in front of a record Flamingo Land Stadium crowd of 2676.
It took a worldie to separate the two sides though and the crowd had to wait until 74 minutes of a third game of the season between them for a shot to hit the back of the net.
What a goal it was as ASH JACKSON let fly from nearly thirty yards to comprehensively beat the outstanding Joe Young, the shot rocketing into the far top corner. It was a shot that no goalkeeper in the world would have had much chance of stopping.
On the balance of the second half, the Gladiators could have no complaints. A second goal from Luca Colville with seven minutes to doubled the Seadogs’ lead, Matlock’s reply coming far too late from skipper Liam Hughes deep into injury time.
The Gladiators were again guilty of not taking their chances when on top.
In only 2 minutes a Mark Lees miscue dropped invitingly for Alex Wiles to drive wide when he should at the very least have tested goalkeeper Ryan Whitley. It was a great opportunity, if taken, would have changed the complexion of the game and quietened the home support.
Most of the opening exchanges were in the Scarborough half but Matlock also needed the excellence of Ryan Qualter to block Colville’s 12th minute drive and four minutes later Young pulled off a cracking save to tip a Lewis Maloney free kick on to the junction of bar and post, the ball being scrambled away for a fruitless corner.
But Matlockwent equally close after half an hour as Hughes headed goalwards from a fine cross from Qualter, the ball being hacked off the line. Soon afterwards, Callum Chippendale, who along with Reece Kendall were booked for first half trips, headed directly at Whitley.
As an absorbing half came to its conclusion, a second Maloney free kick drifted wide, Matlock though would be hoping to repeat their efforts so far after the half time cuppa.
Sadly those hopes did not materialise.
Jesurun Uchegbulam, whose pace was a big threat earlier, did not receive the required service.
Scarborough grabbed the initiative attacking their favoured Shed End where their fans were packed. Moloney shot way too high from distance before on 59 minutes another long ranger from Colville took an awful deflection but Young saved the day for Matlock with a superb flying save to fingertip to safety,
Benito Lowe replaced Wiles but Borough caused problems again with another deflected Colville which dropped inches wide.
The red tide of pressure showed no sign of abating, Matlock simply could not hold the ball long enough to earn a rest.
Will Thornton headed wide and Kendall brilliantly charged down a Will Jarvis strike. Young did well to grasp another shot from Jarvis but something had to give and it did in style through Jackson’s venomous blast.
Kendall headed at Whitley in Matlock’s first meaningful attempt of the second half on 76 minutes but there was soon peril at the other end, Adam Yates producing a fantastic clearance on the line from Michael Coulson who seemed certain to score.
The visitors claims for a penalty fell on deaf ears when Kieran Weledji got his hand in the way of Kendall’s header but Matlock were breached again when COLVILLE cutely back heeled a low cross from the left . Matlock’s task looked hopeless.
They might have cut the deficit on 86 minutes, Thornton making a heroic block from Alex Byrne’s low shot, Lowe then ballooning the rebound unceremoniously over the bar.
Four minutes into six added on at the end, HUGHES headed in from a couple of yards after Ross Hannah’s cross from the left had been helped but it proved to be too little, too late.
Scarborough’s second half display was the best against Matlock all season. Then Town ran out of legs and ideas but can still reflect on a good campaign. Their 200 fans showed their appreciation despite their obvious disappointment.
SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC: 1 Ryan Whitley 2 Kieran Weledji 3 Ash Jackson 4 Lewis Maloney 5 Will Thornton 6 Bailey Gooda 7 Will Jarvis (15 Brad Plant 82) 8 Ryan Watson 9 Michael Coulson (17 Jake Day 89) 10 Kieran Glynn 11 Luca Colville Other subs: 12 James Cadman 14 Matt Bancroft 16 Dylan Cogill
MATLOCK TOWN: 1 Joe Young 2 Adam Yates 3 Reece Kendall 4 Ioan Evans 5 Ryan Qualter 6 Mark Lees 7 Alex Byrne 8 Alex Wiles (12 Benito Lowe 60) 9 Liam Hughes 10 Jesurun Uchegbulam (16 Osebi Abadaki 73) 11 Callum Chippendale (15 Ross Hannah 84) Other subs: 14 Jamie Sharman 17 Luke Daly
REFEREE: Gareth Thomas (Wakefield) ATTENDANCE: 2676 BEST GLADIATOR: Joe Young