Whitby Town vs Matlock Town FC

Whitby Town

1

FT

Turnbull Ground

Northern Premier League

Matlock Town FC

0

Match Report

A scrappy game on the coast on Tuesday night was settled by Whitby's number nine Stephen Walker on 36 minutes to condemn Matlock Town to a fourth successive away defeat by a single goal margin.

All in all it was another away day to forget for the Gladiators who again were clearly second best but picked up three worrying injuries and had goalkeeper Saul Deeney sent off in the last minute for handling outside the box.

Debutant Jack Goodman, on loan from Doncaster, looks to be out for the season with a serious foot injury, sustained early on with the soft surface probably playing its part.

Harry Wood and skipper John Johnston also failed to last the 90 minutes with ankle and groin problems respectively.

Matlock, though, had one of their usual away days. Again as at Warrington Rylands and Workington, they never did enough to suggest they would seriously threaten the home custodian.

Initially Matlock looked bright and Goodman would probably be kicking himself for not testing Shane Bland inside the opening 90 seconds, scuffing his shot wide of the near post.

The other new Gladiator, Tavonga Kuleya, faded after a promising start as Whitby took control.

Walker might have scored twice before his decider, slamming his shot against a post before Deeney produced a courageous and magnificent stop to prevent him netting after Alfie Doherty crossed invitingly from the right.

Matlock hung on grimly as the hosts continued to dominate with Goodman's effectiveness being decreased as the pain he was in worsened.

Walker was afforded too much time and space to drill a low shot under Deeney with a feeling of deja vu in the Matlock camp and fan base from that point on.

Goodman eventually limped off a minute before the break, Wood doing likewise ten minutes into the second-half.

Matlock looked all too predictable going forward with long punts forward giving lone striker Scott Boden little chance of joy.

All the visitors could muster was a wayward Joe West header back from where it came and a shot from substitute Kornell McDonald which sped a yard wide on 77 minutes.

The Seasiders might have at least doubled their advantage as Walker, Jacob Gratton twice, Aaron Haswell and Junior Mondal had decent opportunities.

Then to rub salt in the Matlock wounds came Deeney’s red card, a controversial one as there was debate as to whether the goalkeeper had indeed strayed outside his area and also because Matlock had cover beyond him.

Ioan Evans took over the sky blue shirt for the remaining couple of minutes as Matlock's mentality on the road was again brought into serious doubt.

WHITBY TOWN 1 Shane Bland 2 Connor Smith 3 Coleby Shepherd 4 Adam Gell (14 Lewis Hawkins 19)5 Daniel Rowe 6 Harrison Beeden 7 Aaron Braithwaite 8 zaaron Haswell 9 Stephen Wallker (15 Harry Mondal 80) 10 Jacob Gratton 11 Alfie Doherty. Other subs 12 Priesley Keightley 16 Nathan Thomas 17 Bradley Fewster

MATLOCK TOWN 1 Saul Deeney 2. George Wilkinson 3 Joe West 4 Harry Wood (14 Kornell McDonald 55) 5 Adam Yates 6 Ioan Evans 7 John Johnston (16 Finlay Armond 66) 8 Curtis Durose 9 Scott Boden 10 Jack Goodman (15 Olly Clark 44) 11 Tavonga Kuleya. Other subs: 12 Alex Duhameau 17 Nat Crofts.

Referee: Sam Ross (Durham)

Attendance. 324

Best Gladiator. Joe West