Matlock Town vs Gresley Rovers
Cup of woe - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
Things went from bad to worse for Gresley Rovers as they crashed
out of the FA Cup, humbled by a Matlock side that had not previously won a game
all season.
Rovers, in fact, played better football in spells, particularly
in the first half, than they ever produced in Saturday's dismal 1-1 Moat Ground
draw, but poor defending and a typical inability to turn pressure into goals
proved the undoing of Brian Kenning's side.
Less than a month ago Kenning hoped and believed his team could
make a flying start to the new campaign.
Now, his squad already hit by injuries, he faces a major task
restoring confidence and moral. The Moatmen, fielding an adventurous 3-4-3 formation,
seemed to lack neither in the opening minutes last night but two goals in as
many minutes soon had then glumly looking at their third defeat in four outings.
Crass defending was to blame for both. First the Rovers back line
appealed in vain for offside as Kingsley Paul escaped on the Matlock left and
the winger carried the ball infield before firing a cross shot past Ian Wright
and into the far bottom corner of the net.
Then Rueben Francis was allowed space to fire in a 25-yard shot
that Wright failed to hold and when Steve Taylor nipped in the striker, after
first appearing to be tripped by the keeper, was quickly back on his feet to
shoot into the empty net.
Matlock had got the measure of Rovers' defence with Taylor in
particular repeatedly exposing a lack of pace at the back.
Both Taylor and skipper Nick Tilly were close to adding to the
already embarrassing score line but Rovers rode the storm and almost pulled
a goal back when Adie Doughty's driven cross from the right was touched against
the far post by the stretching Matt Boyles with Kevin Allsop -chauffeured specially
to the game from his temporary working domicile in Liverpool - seeing his effort
blocked as he seized on the rebound.
Still Rovers pressed for the goal that would have put them back
in the game but, in the third minute of first half injury time, it was Matlock
who sealed their passage into the first round proper with a goal similar in
many ways to their opener.
Again Rovers' defence was breached on the left, again there were
vain appeals for offside and again Wright was beaten, Taylor setting up an easy
finish for Francis.
The game had gone beyond Rovers now and it was a matter of keeping
the score line respectable, although they might have pulled a goal back when
Boyles, giving 100 per cent effort throughout, closed down keeper Mark Samways
to give Allsop the chance to shoot from 25-yards, the keeper just managed to
get back in time to tip the ball over.
Tilly almost emulated the effort at the other end, shooting just
wide from 40-yards after Wright had headed clear, but Matlock soon made it four,
Rovers failing to clear a corner and the outstanding Taylor sending a looping
header over Wright after Paul had returned the ball into the penalty area. It
was pure agony for Rovers' fans by now and a late goal from the penalty spot
by Mark Peters after Will Davies had upended Boyles was no consolation.
Matlock Town (2) 4
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Scorers: Paul 10, Taylor 12, 57, Francis 45 (Matlock Town);
Peters 83 pen (Gresley Rovers)
Matlock Town: Samways, James, Holmshaw, Shaw (Lukic 72),
McNiholas, Davies, Tilly, Paul, taylor (Banks 80), Francis (Wainman 73), Simpson.
Subs not used: Sheldon, Hall.
Gresley Rovers: Wright, Wardle, Thornhill, Bluck, Reynolds,
Warren, Doughty (Roberts 58), Coates (Sandar 72), Allsop, Peters, Boyles. Subs
not used: Wilson, Wagstaff, Selby.
Referee: D P Morrison (Littleover)
Attendance: 310
