FCUM MEMBERS

Saturday 7th December kick-off 3pm
Northern Premier League Premier Division
FC United v Matlock
Broadhurst Park
Lightbowne Road, Moston
Manchester, M40 0FJ.

Matlock won all of their first 3 away fixtures but since September 28th have drawn 1 and lost 3 on the road. There have been 13 goals in total in their 7 Aways, the fewest in the division.
The last 2 meetings in 2014-15 ended goalless, but the Gladiators have not yet had a 0-0 draw in 2019-20.
Matlock have lost 5 of their last 6 League games. Their tally of 19 League goals includes 3 own goals.
Adam Yates joined the club in 2009 and has made over 500 appearances for the Gladiators.
Chris Doyle became the 13th player to score for FCUM in 2019-20 last week. Of players with more than 10 appearances this season only Curtis Jones and Luke Griffiths have yet to score.
Matlock’s last outing was at Grantham Town last Saturday, which was abandoned after 61 minutes due to fog with the Gladiators winning 2-1.

PRE MATCH LISTEN:

This week's This Club is My Club

With reaction to FC United's win over Lancaster City from Saturday

https://fcumradio.podbean.com/e/this-cl ... mber-2019/

MORNING!

Ahead of this afternoon's match with Matlock Town at Broadhurst Park, on Friday night we caught up with FC United Manager Neil Reynolds to hear his thoughts heading into this one.

https://audioboom.com/posts/7444055-pre ... ock-town-h

PRE MATCH LISTEN:

This week's edition of Swampy's Red Rebel Radio

Providing you with a preview for Saturday's league game against Matlock Town.

https://fcumradio.podbean.com/e/swampys ... mber-2019/

NEXT COMMENTARY:

FC Live returns this afternoon with coverage of FC United against Matlock Town in the Northern Premier League.

Here is Statto Paul's Preview

https://audioboom.com/posts/7444054-fc- ... ock-town-h

And if you cannot make this one in person, tune in from 2.30pm on http://www.fc-radio.co.uk

FC LIVE GOALS
https://audioboom.com/posts/7444224-fc- ... ock-town-h

POST MATCH INTERVIEW
https://audioboom.com/posts/7444225-pos ... ock-town-h

OUT NOW:

This week's This Club is My Club

With reaction and interviews from FC United's league game with Matlock Town, as well as Sunday's derby clash for the Women's Team against Manchester Stingers.

https://fcumradio.podbean.com/e/this-cl ... mber-2019/

PftG winning numbers:

00218
00563
&
00061

Matlock's report

The Gladiators were bullied out of contention by a rampant United forward line, led by tormentor in chief Tunde Owolabi who netted a tremendous hat-trick to make it a miserable first ever visit for Matlock to Broadhurst Park.

Matlock’s defending certainly left a lot to be desired which made United’s and Owolabi’s task much easier, but on this showing there cannot be a better forward than Owolabi in the BetVictor NPL Premier Division at present and surely Football League clubs are going to come knocking on United’s door wanting Olowabi in their ranks.

Both teams were suspect in defence, Matlock actually competing well in the opening twenty odd minutes as they led twice in the opening exchanges.

Keen to build on their good performance in the abandonment at Grantham, there was just one change to the line up, with Luke Hinsley replacing Chib Chilaka in attack.

They started on the front foot but soon received a crushing blow when in form Piteu Crouz was helped off with hamstring trouble. Almost immediately though they went in front when TOMAS POOLE was on to a weak clearing header in a flash to advance on goal and fire comfortably past Cameron Belford in the 7th minute.

The hosts were quickly on level terms, luck being on their side when the referee allowed a free kick to be taken from the wrong place, Owolabi appeared to shove Dwayne Wiley to win a corner which was cleared to Mike Potts whose mishit volley was travelling comfortably wide but fell to CHRIS DOYLE, unmarked, who stroked his shot past Dan Wallis.

But by the 11th minute, Town had regained the lead, Hinsley creating space on the right to turn inside and find MARCUS MARSHALL who kept his composure to turn inside a defender and shoot into the bottom corner for a fine goal..

Wallis would prove to be Matlock’s best player on the day, despite conceding five. He had little chance with any of the goals and would come off feeling he needed better protection.

He pulled off a fine save from Alex Curran before former Gladiator Paul Ennis fired too high from distance.

At the other end Hinsley lifted a difficult chance over the bar following substitute Dan Bramall’s cross from the left and Marshall initially did well to leave United defenders floundering only for a shocking final pass to deflate the momentum.

Then the game swung dramatically in United’s favour with two goals in three minutes.

On 27 minutes, OWOLABI grabbed the first of his treble, shaking off Bailey Gooda too easily o cut inside and shoot past Wallis.

Then came probably the worst defending of the afternoon, United winning a throw on the right and REGAN LINNEY was allowed to cut through the visiting defence like a knife through butter to beat Wallis with a low drive.

Ennis fired at Wallis who was ideally placed to gather but Matlock might have equalised when Belford saved a Ben Gordonl shot superbly, the rebound from Marshall striking the post.

But Matlock could not cope with United’s attacking prowess, Wallis saving well from Owolabi, Curran and twice from Ennis before the half time whistle.

It was difficult to comprehend the amount of space United were being afforded by Matlock as Linney and Owolabi went close in the early part of the second half before Curran drove wide from the edge of the box, again in acres of space.

OWOLABI literally bulldozed his way through the Matlock defence to make it 4-2 in the 64th minute, sheer strength and determination winning the battle.

Poole, possibly Matlock’s best outfield player, then put Wallis in trouble with a poor knock back, the goalkeeper superbly denying the eager Owolabi.

Luke Dean lifted a Marshall, assist over the bar to thwart any chance of a Matlock recovery which was well and truly extinguished when OWOLABI’s strength and pace exposed Matlock again with six minutes left, driving down the middle to thump an explosive shot in off the underside of the bar.

It all added up to Matlock’s heaviest defeat of the season and they will be thankful that they do not face strikers of Owolabi’s quality every week.