Matlock Town vs Gresley Rovers
Steve Dolby made the best of adversity at Causeway Lane last night after seeing his Gresley Rovers squad rocked by a new injury blow.
Midfielder Peter Weston, who broke his toe at Shepshed on Saturday, and utility man Scott Elliott, who suffered a broken ankle at work yesterday, added to Dolby's problems for Rovers' Beazer Premier opener at Gravesend on Saturday.
And with eight other players absent at Causeway Lane last night Dolby was forced to pitch reserve midfielder Rob McGovern and teenage defender Lee Ellis against David Vaughan's highly competitive Gladiators side.
It may not have been exactly the baptism of fire for the two second teamers, but nonetheless both rose well to the occasion.
Ellis on the fringe of the England Youth honours before he broke his ankle while playing for Sheffield United, showed composure beyond his 18 years in a bruising battle with Town target man Mark Culley while McGovern, nephew of former Rams and Forest star John, produced an eye-catching performance in the centre of midfield.
The strong running 22-year-old helped keep Rovers moving forward as the home side dominated long periods of the game and was instrumental in his team's 82nd minute equaliser, a powerful excursion into the heart of the Matlock defence creating the opportunity for David Taylor to plunder his third pre-season goal for his new club with a close-range finish.
Hitherto it was another new recruit, keeper Stuart Ford, who grabbed centre stage.
On the half hour Ford stood his ground to deny Cully with the striker clean through on the left of Rovers goal then foiled the same player by pushing his injury time header from under the bar.
Matlock maintained the initiative into the second half with Ford again saving well from Richard Taylor and defender Paul Burton.
Rovers had their moments, mainly through swiftly orchestrated breaks, with Mark Hurst and Taylor tireless workers in attack.
There was no arguing that Matlock did not deserve their 75th minute opener, however, Cully finally finding a way past Ford with a near post finish to Nick Tilly's right wing cross.
But Rovers' fitness is looking good after a long pre-season and they maintained their resolve and momentum to snatch a deserved equaliser, McGovern powering into the box on a typical run and, when the ball broke loose on the six-yard line, Taylor weighing in with a deadly right-foot finish.
Sub Kirk Master could then have put the icing on the cake for Rovers when he broke clear on the right only to see an angled drive skid just past the far post.
Matlock Town (0) 1
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Scorers: Culley (Matlock Town), Taylor 82 (Gresley Rovers)
Matlock Town: Varney, Fox, Elam (Cutts 72), Evans, Burton (McNicholas 72), Middleton, Tilley (Hanbury 75), Flynn, Culley, Newey, R Taylor.
Gresley Rovers: Ford, Foster (R Wardle 67), Horseman, Ellis, P Wardle, R Wardle (O'Reilly 63), Marsden, McGovern, Hurst (D Taylor 74), D Taylor (Master 45), Fowkes.
Referee: A Bite (Chesterfield)
Attendance: 160
