Rylands back up to second with win at Matlock

by Garry Clarke Pictures John Hopkins

WARRINGTON Rylands reclaimed second place on the NPL Premier Division ladder by inflicting a first home defeat of the season on Matlock Town.

Kicking off towards the cricket ground end, Rylands were soon on the attack with Adama Sidibeh forcing Matlock goalkeeper Saul Deeney into a save after getting on the back of a dangerous Ben Hardcastle cross in the second minute.

Rylands opened the scoring in the 6th minute when Sidibeh turned another Hardcastle shot goalwards, Deeney managed to deflect the ball onto the post, Robbie McNicholas cleared the rebound off the line, and Ben Hough followed up to head the ball into the net.

rylands

Hough, a late call-up to the starting lineup following a pre-game injury to Mo Touray, turned provider for Sidibeh. Hooking the ball over the Matlock defence, Hough found Sidibeh who smashed a first-time shot past a helpless Deeney from the edge of the area.

Sidibeh continued to cause the home side problems. Still, as the first half progressed Matlock, unbeaten at home since February, came more into the game and had two efforts cleared off the line by James Butler and Clive Smith before breaking through the stubborn Rylands rearguard in the 42nd minute. Ioan Evans twisted and turned in the Rylands box leaving defenders in his wake to find Jonny Margetts who drilled the ball through a packed six-yard box.

Matlock thought they were going in at halftime all square but Rylands goalkeeper Luke Pilling pulled off a brilliant instinctive save to deny them minute later, moving in the opposite direction he stuck out a trailing foot to divert a point-blank John Johnson header away.

Rylands restored their two-goal advantage eight minutes into the second half when a quickly taken throw by Smith allowed Hough to run in behind the Matlock defence; he slipped the ball inside to Sidibeh, who slotted it home.

Sidibeh was denied his hat-trick a couple of minutes later by an assistant’s offside flag and in the 79th minute by a good save from Deeney.

As in the first half, Matlock started to dominate the second half and pulled a goal back on the hour mark when Karl Demidh struck a low shot from distance into the bottom corner.

Matlock threw extra men forward in search of an equaliser but with Pilling making a couple of good saves and the red-shirted defenders in front of him holding firm it was the visitors who, on the break, looked the more dangerous with Edy Maieco beating Deeney but seeing his shot cleared by a covering defender.
Nerves were settled three minutes into stoppage time of an entertaining game when Scott Bakkor beat Deeney to a through ball, nicking it past the keeper he gleefully walked the ball into an empty net to secure all three points for Warrington Rylands.

Goal celebrations – Picture John Hopkins

Scott Bakkor -Picture John Hopkins

MATLOCK – Deeney, McNicholas, West, Clark (Hooper), Evans, Wilkinson, Johnson (Wright), Barnes, Demidh, Margetts, Crofts (Wakefield). Subs not used Styche, Sharman.

RYLANDS – Pilling, Smith, Swaby-Neavin, Butler, Wilson, Furman, Hardcastle, Neild, Sidibeh (Maieco)), Hough(Bakkor), Baillie (Piggott). Subs not used Regan, Kyffin

Attendance 638

GOALS@AdoSidibeh grabs his second of the game with a tidy finish from Ben Hough's cutback after @Clivesmith_10 throw pic.twitter.com/fFrT4LP0Dm

— Warrington Rylands FC (@RylandsFC) September 24, 2023

GOALS@AdoSidibeh scores an absolute rocket from outside the area, taking the ball first time and smashing it into the top corner pic.twitter.com/p2eoHaNWnN

— Warrington Rylands FC (@RylandsFC) September 24, 2023

GOALS

Ben Hough gives the blues the lead from close range after @AdoSidibeh shot came back off the post pic.twitter.com/oDBg4nOEvG

— Warrington Rylands FC (@RylandsFC) September 24, 2023

GOALS@ScottBakkor finished the scoring in injury time, beating the keeper to a through ball and walking the ball into an empty net pic.twitter.com/11qNso3tgK

— Warrington Rylands FC (@RylandsFC) September 24, 2023