REPORT: MATLOCK TOWN 2-0 UNITED
Defeat in Derbyshire...
PHOTO: Tom Flint Photography
United succumbed to a 2-0 defeat away at Matlock Town on Tuesday night courtesy of a second-half Jonny Margetts double.
The striker opened the scoring from the penalty spot after he was hauled back before he poked home a second minutes later.
The first real chance came with twelve minutes played as a lightening break, spearheaded by Charlie Wakefield, saw Remaye Campbell cross dangerously but inches out the reach of the onrushing Zayn Hakeem.
Jack Thomas then curled straight into Saul Deeney’s hands from range, with the home ‘keeper equal to an awkward effort which skewed off the damp surface.
The ever dangerous Margetts then spooned wide unmarked in the box, only for his blushes to be spared by the linesman’s flag.
Bouyed by their decent draw at home to FC United on Saturday, United looked encouraging in attack and next went close when a poor pass from former striker Anthony Dwyer was pounced on by Brodie Litchfield, though a low strike was easy for Deeney.
With the last attack of the half, Litchfield was central to an attack and was hauled down on the edge of the area, but his protest was waved off by referee Edgar Brown who sent the teams in for the break.
Minutes after the restart, Margetts then had two glorious chances and was unlucky not to find an opener.
First his low header hit the foot of the upright before, from the resultant corner after Ioan Evans’ follow-up was deflected wide, his flicked attempt thundered off the crossbar before the danger was cleared.
But he wasn’t to be denied after 63 minutes when he fired home his first of the night after he was pulled back in the area and dusted himself down from 12-yards.
And moments later he was at it again; a sweeping move down the left saw a cross delivered low into the area and the former Lincoln City striker did the rest to sweep home beyond Kieran Preston.
United weren’t without their chances but failed to really worry Deeney in the host’s goal with all efforts coming from range and they now turn focus to a home tie with Lancaster City on Tuesday night (7.45pm).
UNITED: Preston; Roma, Dearle, Frizelle, Ritzema; Thomas, McDonald (Woakes 67’), Litchfield (Wade 85’), Wakefield, Hakeem (Bowman 79’), Campbell
SUBS (not used): Holmes, Alexander (GK)
ATT: 492 [25 away]