Match Report
Two first half goals saw FC United move to within one point of the play-off positions after beating Matlock Town 2-1 in front of a crowd of 1,458 at Bower Fold on Wednesday night.
Matthew Wolfenden gave the Reds a two goal cushion just after the half hour mark, following an own goal by Laurence Gaughan on 12 minutes. Ian Holmes struck back for the Gladiators in the 61st minute to set up a nervy finale but United were strong enough to hold on for another vital three points in the quest for promotion.
The win sets up what promises to be another exciting end to the season with United a point behind Bradford Park Avenue and knowing that should they win their game in hand over Chorley, they would leapfrog them into a play-off position with just eleven games remaining in the season.
The night nearly didn’t start so well for the Reds though as they seemed to take to the field with a hangover from their last minute win at Marine four days earlier and almost conceded with just minutes gone as Holmes put the ball just wide of James Spencer’s far post after beating the United shot stopper.
This seemed to wake up the Reds and for the next 43 minutes it was all United as they kept coming forward in wave after wave of pressure on the visiting defence. Carlos Roca continued his fine form for the club, jinking in and out from both flanks and causing the Matlock defence no end of problems as he seemingly had the ball glued to his feet.
From one such attack came the opening goal as Roca took the ball down the left and fired a dangerous low ball across the box in the direction of Mike Norton but as Matlock defender Gaughan got an interception in and put the ball into his own goal to put United a goal up.
The pressure continued and Stephen Johnson’s cross come shot from the right had Matlock ‘keeper Jon Kennedy back peddling as had to stretch his finger tips to put the ball over.
United looked dangerous every time they got the ball with attacks coming from all areas of the pitch, one notable foray forward saw the ball passed to Jake Cottrell outside the box who rifled his shot just wide of the goal.
The lead was eventually doubled on the half hour mark as Roca again fired a ball in from the right, which was prodded towards goal by Wolfenden. The effort was saved by Kennedy but spilled back into the path of Wolfenden who netted to seemingly tie the game up for the Reds.
Such was United’s dominance that much of the talk during the interval between the fans was about the margin the Reds could win by on the evening. Disappointingly, the second half failed to pick up where the first half had finished and for a good 15 minutes or so it had a feel of a pre-season game with United seemingly going through the motions en route to a victory.
The attack did wake up when FC United captain Kyle Jacobs bombed forward from the back and was played in on the right hand side of the box but his effort went into the side netting.
With the forwards now awake it looked like the defence had not followed suit as Ian Holmes was allowed an eternity of time to pick up a rebound in the United box and make the score 2-1 and more importantly set up a rather tense final half an hour.
Thankfully, FC United responded well. Although they never managed to capture the heights of their first half performance and with a few close shaves in defence, the United faithful would rather have gained another a goal to ease them through the final period of the game.
Mike Norton came closest to getting this goal. Jacobs put a ball into the box from deep and as Norton edged clear and found himself with a couple of yards free to head the ball goal wards but his effort just looped wide of the far post.
Although United couldn’t get the third to give them a two goal cushion again, Cottrell had another go from outside the area but his effort had more chance of causing a mid air collision with a Charlie Adam’s penalty than breaking the back of the Matlock goal.
Three points for the Reds, moving them a position up the league and for 45 minutes at least the kind of performance which makes you believe that on the day their day, FC United of Manchester can give anybody in this league a torrid time.
Next up for the Reds is a Saturday’s trip to newly promoted Rushall Olympic, who have one of the best defensive records in the league.
Website man of the match: Carlos Roca – again looked the most dangerous and creative in the United team. There’s a real belief on the terraces that when Roca has the ball something is going to happen and it seems Roca is thriving off this at the moment.
Report by Craig Phillips.
Match Report
Two first half goals saw FC United move to within one point of the play-off positions after beating Matlock Town 2-1 in front of a crowd of 1,458 at Bower Fold on Wednesday night.
Matthew Wolfenden gave the Reds a two goal cushion just after the half hour mark, following an own goal by Laurence Gaughan on 12 minutes. Ian Holmes struck back for the Gladiators in the 61st minute to set up a nervy finale but United were strong enough to hold on for another vital three points in the quest for promotion.
The win sets up what promises to be another exciting end to the season with United a point behind Bradford Park Avenue and knowing that should they win their game in hand over Chorley, they would leapfrog them into a play-off position with just eleven games remaining in the season.
The night nearly didn’t start so well for the Reds though as they seemed to take to the field with a hangover from their last minute win at Marine four days earlier and almost conceded with just minutes gone as Holmes put the ball just wide of James Spencer’s far post after beating the United shot stopper.
This seemed to wake up the Reds and for the next 43 minutes it was all United as they kept coming forward in wave after wave of pressure on the visiting defence. Carlos Roca continued his fine form for the club, jinking in and out from both flanks and causing the Matlock defence no end of problems as he seemingly had the ball glued to his feet.
From one such attack came the opening goal as Roca took the ball down the left and fired a dangerous low ball across the box in the direction of Mike Norton but as Matlock defender Gaughan got an interception in and put the ball into his own goal to put United a goal up.
The pressure continued and Stephen Johnson’s cross come shot from the right had Matlock ‘keeper Jon Kennedy back peddling as had to stretch his finger tips to put the ball over.
United looked dangerous every time they got the ball with attacks coming from all areas of the pitch, one notable foray forward saw the ball passed to Jake Cottrell outside the box who rifled his shot just wide of the goal.
The lead was eventually doubled on the half hour mark as Roca again fired a ball in from the right, which was prodded towards goal by Wolfenden. The effort was saved by Kennedy but spilled back into the path of Wolfenden who netted to seemingly tie the game up for the Reds.
Such was United’s dominance that much of the talk during the interval between the fans was about the margin the Reds could win by on the evening. Disappointingly, the second half failed to pick up where the first half had finished and for a good 15 minutes or so it had a feel of a pre-season game with United seemingly going through the motions en route to a victory.
The attack did wake up when FC United captain Kyle Jacobs bombed forward from the back and was played in on the right hand side of the box but his effort went into the side netting.
With the forwards now awake it looked like the defence had not followed suit as Ian Holmes was allowed an eternity of time to pick up a rebound in the United box and make the score 2-1 and more importantly set up a rather tense final half an hour.
Thankfully, FC United responded well. Although they never managed to capture the heights of their first half performance and with a few close shaves in defence, the United faithful would rather have gained another a goal to ease them through the final period of the game.
Mike Norton came closest to getting this goal. Jacobs put a ball into the box from deep and as Norton edged clear and found himself with a couple of yards free to head the ball goal wards but his effort just looped wide of the far post.
Although United couldn’t get the third to give them a two goal cushion again, Cottrell had another go from outside the area but his effort had more chance of causing a mid air collision with a Charlie Adam’s penalty than breaking the back of the Matlock goal.
Three points for the Reds, moving them a position up the league and for 45 minutes at least the kind of performance which makes you believe that on the day their day, FC United of Manchester can give anybody in this league a torrid time.
Next up for the Reds is a Saturday’s trip to newly promoted Rushall Olympic, who have one of the best defensive records in the league.
Website man of the match: Carlos Roca – again looked the most dangerous and creative in the United team. There’s a real belief on the terraces that when Roca has the ball something is going to happen and it seems Roca is thriving off this at the moment.
Report by Craig Phillips.
