UniBond Presidents Cup 1st Round
Causeway Lane, Matlock
Saturday, 7th January 2006, 3.00pm
Rovers out of President's Cup
Gresley Rovers manager Gary Norton made changes for this Presidents Cup clash at Matlock Town. The defence was re-shuffled with David Holmes taking the right back slot and Matt Millns coming in at centre back. Andy Cheetham made his first start since returning to the club, as did Matt Moran.
However, Norton could not have been prepared for his side to be totally outplayed which they certainly were.
Right from the off Matlock looked and indeed played like a side a division higher than their opposition and no shock result, like in last season's Derbyshire Senior Cup was on the cards.
Matlock's Steve Taylor opened the scoring after just six minutes when he fired home the rebound from Ian Clarke's thunderous shot that Gresley keeper Gavin Saxby had done well to block at full stretch.
The visitors went two down on 24 minutes when Dene Cropper, in acres of space, headed home Steve Circuit's cross.
It got worse for Gresley three minutes later. Clarke's inch perfect pass sliced the visiting defence in two allowing Cropper to run in on goal unchallenged finally slotting the ball under Saxby for goal number three.
Norton was forced to make a change on the half hour when Cheetham limped off with a dead leg to be replaced by Nathan Tate who had recovered from a dislocated shoulder picked up against Shepshed.
The change did not bring a turn of fortune for Gresley and they could have gone even further behind five minutes later when Cropper's attempted lob beat Saxby but also the far post.
In the last few seconds of the first half Saxby did well to block Simon Barraclough's shot.
Matlock started the second half as they'd finished the first - well on top. Barraclough sent Taylor on his way only for him to fire wide with only Saxby to beat.
Taylor then saw the woodwork deny him another goal as his shot beat Saxby but not the post.
Both Clarke and Kris Bowler went close before Clarke completed the scoring on 84 minutes. Taylor had been fed by Barraclough but instead of trying his hand he passed inside for Clarke to fire home.
This miserable day was topped off for the Moatmen as Matt Millns received a red card for pulling back Taylor with only four minutes left.
Manager's View
"We paid the price for a mad 10 minutes when we conceeded the second and third goals.
"The result was disappointing but we looked far more solid in the second half which was credit to the lads.
"We lost Andy Cheetham to a dead leg which was disappointing as we wanted him to get 90 minutes under his belt and now we have Matt Millns banned for three games.
"Nothing is going right for Matt at the moment, but I thought there were a lot of positives from him today like the timing of his tackles and his clearing of the lines.
"I thought Matt Moran did tremendously well in what was a dificult first game for him and he worked really hard.
"Today's was a harsh lesson for us, but the league is very much our focus now and we have two big home games comming up."
