Hyde put four past Matlock Town as tough start continues
Jack Redshaw hit a hat-trick as Hyde United eased to victory over winless Matlock Town on Saturday.
The Gladiators lacked a cutting edge throughout the encounter, again looking too lightweight in the final third as they were picked off by an impressive Hyde side.
Hyde took the lead ten minutes in, as Joel Amado’s strike took a huge deflection and wrong-footed Rogan Ravenhill in the Matlock goal.
Harrison Poulter put Matlock’s first real chance too high soon afterwards, then Amado and Jordan Scanlon both had shots clear the crossbar as the visitors created the better openings.
Harry Wood hooked a shot over the bar early in the second-half, then Connor Heath’s header was just wide at the other end.
But the second Hyde goal arrived on 56 minutes when some neat play down the left ended with Redshaw having the time to pick his spot from the edge of the penalty area and he stroked the ball into the corner of the net.
Jay Glover’s long distance effort was deflected just too high as Matlock tried to fight back, Sam Essien’s shot suffering a similar fate soon afterwards.
Hyde then wrapped the points up on 76 minutes when Redshaw was again the scorer and again it was a placed effort into the far corner after good build up play through midfield.
Two minutes later, Redshaw had his hat-trick with another good finish, Essien’s late header being the Gladiators’ first goal of the season but a mere consolation.