Sheffield FC vs Matlock Town FC

Sheffield FC

1

FT

BT Local Business Stadium

Pre Season Friendly

Matlock Town FC

3

Match Report

SHEFFIELD FC 1-3 MATLOCK TOWN

Goals at the very start and very end of the game plus one seven minutes into the second half sealed Matlock’s seventh pre season win out of eight in Dronfield on Saturday.

The Gladiators got off to the best possible start with a strike from ROSS HANNAH inside the opening thirty seconds, Matlock’s ace goalscorer jabbing home from close range when Liam Hughes header possibly looked to be going in anyway.

Trialist A did well to intervene as the hosts sought an early reply but it was Matlock who had the next chance, the home goalkeeper superbly fingertipping a Craig Carney thunderbolt over the bar.

But the Gladiators were pegged back on the quarter of an hour mark when the referee ruled that a Sheffield forward had been fouled in the box and former Gladiator MARC NEWSHAM calmly slotted in the penalty sending Paul Cooper the wrong way.

But undeterred Matlock pushed forward again, Hannah teeing up Alex Byrne whose shot was deflected over the bar. Hughes had a header blocked from a corner and a Hannah cross, bound for Hughes was brilliantly cut out by a resilient Sheffield defence.

The two Gladiators combined again on 41 minutes, Hannah’s cross finding the burly Hughes whose downward header smacked against the foot of the post. A shot on the turn from Hughes was too high as the half ended all square but had been largely controlled by the visitors.

Matlock were back in front when substitute JESURUN UCHEBGULAM ran clear on to a Hughes assist to calmly slot home beyond the exposed goalkeeper but they had substitute goalkeeper Shaun Rowley to thank for preserving their advantage shortly afterwards, pulling off a fine save from Newsham before Sheffield had the ball in the net but play had been stopped for an infringement.

After another good save from Rowley, Matlock counter attacked swiftly and Hannah showed his disappointment in slicing his shot wide from the edge of the box.

Byrne forced the home custodian into a tremendous save after Uchebgulam had worried the Sheffield defence, the resulting corner being glanced wide by Hughes before a first time shot from Hannah met a similar fate.

As Matlock dominated, Byrne drove across the face of the goal and Uchebgulam finished tamely but with the last kick of the game, UCHEBGULAM netted his second, shooting confidently home from Hannah’s pass to give the Gladiators a useful win against a resilient and hard working Sheffield.

MATLOCK TOWN: 1 Paul Cooper 2 Ross Hannah 3 Trialist A, 4 Sam Egerton 5 Ryan Qualter 6 Mark Lees 7 Alex Byrne 15 Declan Walker 9 Liam Hughes 10 Callum Chippendale 11 Trialist B Subs used, Craig Carney, Kayde Coppin, Jesurun Uchebgulam, Shaun Rowley. Not used: Alex Wiles

REFEREE: Dan Tracey (Worksop) ATTENDANCE: 200 est