Gresley Rovers vs Matlock Town
Magnificent Moatmen – Andy Parker – Burton Mail
Frank Northwood’s magnificent Moatmen have picked up some mighty scalps in their time. But last night’s chillingly efficient destruction of lofty Matlock Town will surely go down as one of their greatest victories of modern times.
Working to a precise tactical blueprint in which a totally committed and unflappable defence was the key component, Rovers grabbed an early goal through Graham Jones then took all that Matlock could throw at them before Paul Acklam finished the job in superb fashion with three minutes of injury time on the clock.
Yet every Moatman was of one mind afterwards – this was a complete team performance to rank alongside Gresley’s best displays of the season.
Jones, whose spectacular goals had earned Rovers the right to bring their Northern Premier cousins back to South Derbyshire a week before, explained: “An early goal was so important. After that we battled away tremendously – although we felt Matlock were a little disappointing up front. They seemed to want too many touches in front of goal.”
That Matlock were thus nullified is a tremendous tribute to skipper Dean Page and his brave defensive colleagues.
Page, not a captain who can be heard in every corner of the park, led by example, blunting Matlock’s big name cutting edge with his razor tackles, silky skilled runs from deep and booming distribution.
No wonder Northwood was struggling for superlatives as he paid tribute to his sweeper afterwards. “Dean was simply outstanding,” he said.
But there were ten other Moatmen in where it hurts, each playing their part. And none more so than Richard Denby whose passes set up both goals.
Gresley’s plan relied on an early breakthrough and Rovers had their guests rocking in the opening minutes, Andy Moore putting a header disappointingly wide from prodigal Neil Lovell’s cross after Acklam had issued a reminder of Matlock’s frailties with a defence-splitting pass.
The more Gresley sought a goal, though, the more dangerous Matlock began to look until Jones struck. Denby threaded a perfect pass from the right and Jones moved in to crash the ball home from six yards as Matlock’s defenders wondered who to point the finger at this time.
As it turned out the guilty men where at the other end of the field as Matlock possession continually turned to Gresley goal kicks.
Vastly experienced Phil Walker committed the worst miss, thrashing the ball wide from the left side of the penalty area after Gresley’s defence had for once been sucked across.
Then the impressive Alan Semley’s run laid on a chance for so-called wonder boy Kevin Gee but he shot tamely straight at Aston.
In the midst of all this there was some mighty defending going on, full backs Martin Dick and John Bottomley in particular doing some sterling work to keep their sheets clean, especially in the second half as Matlock began to move their defensive big guns into more forward roles.
It seemed that if Matlock got one, they would get three, yet the nearest thing to a Gresley catastrophe came when centre half Carl Fuller blasted a pile-driving shot towards Bob Aston’s net from 18 yards, the keeper tipping over superbly.
Time ticking away, Matlock’s desperation heightening, and Gresley began to see chinks of light through the Town’s veil of pressure.
Indeed, it should have been two when John Riley’s horrendous pass across his own box fell to Andy Moore 10 yards out. Moore did everything right, but as he sidefooted towards a gaping net keeper Stewart Wilson, spreading himself in desperation, managed to get a boot to the ball.
The sound of fingernails being bitten was becoming deafening.
Then, in a climatic 93rd minute, Acklam, pressing hard on Matlock’s back line in a rare break, exchanged passes with Denby, broke clear, drew Wilson and provided a finish of classic simplicity to a truly memorable game.
Gresley Rovers (1) 2
Matlock Town (0) 0
Scorers: Jones 19, Acklam 93.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Bottomley, Dick, Haskins, Page, Moore, Lovell, Acklam, Jones, Smith. Subs not used: Perry, Fearn.
Matlock Town: Wilson, Hunter, Mitchell, Woods, Fuller, Ridley, Griffiths (Lancaster 75), Young, Semley, Walker, Gee. Sub not used: Pugh.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Dean Page.
Referee: B Rudge (Belper).
Attendance: 534
