Monday 18 March 2013

Staveley MW U19 4 v Matlock Town U19 2 - NMU19L LC Semi Final

Monday 18th March 2013, at Inkersall Road
NMU19L League Cup Semi Final
Staveley Miners Welfare U19  (2) 4
Pat Lindley 2, 79
Steve Mansell 22, 81
Matlock Town U19 (0) 2
Alex Bradshaw 64
Phil Griffiths 83
Attendance 115
Admission £2, Programme 50p
Ele Reaney's invaluable assistance and persistence with the temperamental photocopier, priceless.
Barry R Dyke's photographs, excellent as always, ta very much for the use of mate.
Cup success on two fronts for Staveley tonight.
The first team were reinstated into the NCEL League Cup, after their 3rd round opponents Shirebrook Town, were found to have included a cup-tied player in their line up Click link for details on the night they beat the Blues 3-1, whilst at Inkersall Road, the Under 19's won through to the NMU19L League Cup Final against a very lively Matlock Town side, in a highly entertaining game.
Staveley team line up
The home side were ahead in the second minute, when Steve Mansell put Pat Lindley through with a well weighted pass and the Staveley captain put the ball past Myles Wright from 6 yards out.
Lindley workws the ball into the right hand side of the box and put a great ball across the face of goal for Ryan Walters, who twisted and turned to get get his shot in from close range, but Wright saved.
At the other end Matlock almost got on the score sheet from an unlikely source, when an over hit free kick from Philip Griffiths, taken from just inside the Staveley half, dipped at the last moment and only just cleared the crossbar.
Steve Mansell put Staveley two ahead in the 22nd minute from close range, with a shot that brought the goal net down.
Matlock looked to get straight back into the game and Dec Jenkins tried putting Matt Andrews through with a pass into his path, but Lewis Heyward had anticipated well and intercepted the move.
Heyward's unflappable demeanour, tackling and positional awareness, stood out impressively tonight.
Adam Clarke came close for the visitors when Staveley's keeper Mark Hicken's needed two attempts to deal with a cross, with Hicken held on and the moment had gone.
Mark Hicken is one of those keepers who stays alert but ranting instructions to his team mates throughout the game, even when they're at the far end of the pitch. He's a very able and competent player, but if you're standing at the end of the pitch that he is defending, you would do well to take some ear plugs with you.
Peter Schmeichel, the former Manchester United and Denmark goalkeeper was wont to be vocal like that too and he was one of the finest goalkeepers of his generation, so take that as a compliment Matt, not a put down.
Matlock team line up
Jack Johnson charged a clearance down near the half way line and played a quick ball forward for Jordan Holland to run on to, but yet again, Lewis Heyward was over in an instant to deal with the situation and clear his lines, before Matlock made any firther progress towards the Staveley box.
Staveley had by far the better of the first half and it looked as though they already had the game sewn up, when Ryan Walters made himself a couple of yards of space and let fly with an effort from 20 yards out, but the ball went narrowly wide of the target.
HT - Staveley Miners Welfare 2 v Matlock Town 0
Staveley had the first chance of the second half, but Myles Wright worked his angles out right and got his body behind Sam Finlaw's 20 yard free kick and gathered the ball comfortably.
In contrast to the first half, it was more of an end to end game after the break and Matlock almost pulled a goal back when Matt Andrews broke through into the box and shot wide of the left hand post.
Andrews then combined with Jordan Holland on the edge of the Staveley box, but Heyward was alert to the danger and he intercepted the ball, again.
Sam Finlaw broke forward from midfield and played the ball into the path of Jordan Hendley, but with the goal at his mercy, the ball sat up awkwardly at the last moment and he was unable to get a clean shot in.
Matlock's James Travis miscued a clearance on the edge of the box, the ball fell to Connor Bendell, but the unexpected opportunity took him by surprise and he rushed his attempt to connect with the ball, which cleared the bar.
Moments later, Bendell won the ball from Adam Clarke in the centre circle and sent Hendly on a goal bound run, but Myles Wright pulled off a great stop to keep Matlock in the game.
Matt Wilkinson dribbled into the Staveley box, but his route to goal was blocked by Josh Fields, who put in a saving tackle at the expense of a corner.
Staveley made a mess of clearing the corner and when Matlock put the ball back into the mix, Alex Bradshaw forced it over the line from close range.
Another Matlock attempt to create an attack, was broken down by Ollie Byne, who charged forward and slipped a measured ball through for Jordan Hendly, who fired wide with Matlock's defence bearing down on him.
Alex Bradshaw got into the Staveley area and forced a save out of Mark Hicken, who recovered in time to get to the loose ball first with Matt Andrews hovering around to pick up the crumbs. Y'see all that shouting really does keep Hicken awake, lively and on his toes.
 Pat Lindley netted Staveley's third goal from the right hand side of the six yard box, after he picked up the ball 12 yards out and took a few steps forward to create himself the space to shoot.
Two minutes later, Finlaw set up Mansell, but Wright tipped the ball away for a corner.
Finlaw took the corner and Mansell powered the ball into the back of the net.
For the benefit of the person wearing the Matlock Town hat, who had just been catcalling Steve Mansell for (apparently) being overweight and slow (for the record, Mansell is neither) ... he feeds off chances like that and got served a second helping tonight, while outpacing whoever was meant to be picking him up at set pieces, twice.
Just a neutral observation, you understand ... no offence intended ;-)
The victory now appeared to be Staveley's with, seemingly, no way back for the young 'Gladiators', but credit where it is due, the visitors made a real go of it in the last ten minutes.
Possibly Staveley took their foot of the gas a bit, because they were sitting on a three goal cushion, but Matlock finished the game strongly.
A long free kick out on the left by Phil Griffith's was flicked at in the six yard box by a team mate, but ended up in the goal and was credited to Griffiths. Cue an upsurge in noise from the parents and supporters from Matlock.
With four minutes remaining, Matt Andrews put a free kick over the bar from just outside the Staveley area and in the final minute Mark Hicken got down to make a last ditch save from Adam Clarke.
FT - Staveley MW 4 v Matlock Town 2
A highly entertaining game, that Staveley deserved to win overall, but Matlock certainly played their part.
Staveley will now face either Southwell City or Hallam in the final.