Basford overcome Matlock as fightback comes too late for Gladiators
Matlock Town fell to a frustrating 2-1 defeat in Nottingham on Saturday as fellow relegation-battlers Basford United took all three points.
Matlock struggled to make any serious impact on the game until the last ten minutes, by which point they were 2-0 down and had left themselves too much to do.
And the result left the Gladiators again hoveringly dangerously over the relegation zone ahead of Tuesday night’s visit of Ashton United.
The hosts began well and took the lead with the game’s first clear chance on eight minutes, as a low ball into the six yard box was turned in by Theo Hudson at the far post.
Montel Gibson shot just wide as Matlock responded, before they got lucky when keeper Adam Hayton dropped a cross onto the foot of United’s Brad Gascoigne a yard out but the ball ricocheted away from danger rather than into the net.
Hudson headed too high for Basford before a tactical change saw Matlock’s Sam Smart replaced just 27 minutes in as young striker Josh Ayres made his debut on loan from Rotherham – the youngster firing wide barely eight minutes later.
But it was Basford who would score again before the break, as Rev James found space 25 yards out and fired a fine effort low past Hayton and into the corner of the net.
Again Matlock struggled to make an impact initially in the second-half, their cause not helped by sub Sam Essien only being on the pitch for two minutes before being injured in a challenge and having to himself be replaced.
Gascoigne headed wide for Basford and Basile Zottos tested keeper Harvey Woodward at the other end, before Matlock finally registered on 83 minutes when a corner wasn’t cleared and Gibson was able to turn and fire home with the help of a deflection.
That triggered late pressure, aided by seven minutes of added time. Gibson in particular had his sights set and saw three 25-yard efforts go close – one going wide, one fumbled over the bar by Woodward and another again fumbled by the keeper with Ayres unable to net the rebound under pressure.
And ultimately Basford held on for the points to leave the visiting fans frustrated with what they’d seen.
Basford: Woodward, Williamson, Stewart, Adifieh, Gascoigne, Barnes, Anderson, Sharpe, Hudson (Thornhill 85), Goodman (Uveges 46), James.
Not used: Brown, Hallam, Rose.
Matlock: Hayton, Smith, Sant, Clayton, Granite, Oglesby, Thompson (Essien 56, Zottos 64), Bachirou, Gibson, Tunstall, Smart (Ayres 27), Zottos.
Not used: Wright
Att: 459