MATCH REPORT: SHEFFIELD FC VS MATLOCK TOWN - PRESEASON
- 02/08/2023
Sheffield FC eased to a comfortable pre-season win at the Home of Football on Saturday, as they brushed aside NPL Premier Division Matlock Town, coasting to a 4-1 victory with Luke Aldrich and Benni Ndlovu both grabbing a brace each.
Club started the game on the front foot, taking the lead on just two minutes, as Benni Ndlovu created plenty of space to place the ball beyond Saul Deeney in the Matlock goal.
The visitors responded within 90 seconds, with John Margetts hitting home a rebound from close range, after Jordan Pierrepont had blocked an effort from Reece Styche.
Pierrepont was on hand to deny Matlock taking the lead on a couple of occasions, blocking a header from Styche, whilst making an acrobatic save to deny a Margetts diving header.
Whilst the rest of the first half produced little else in the way of chances, the second half burst into action, with the hosts turning the screw.
Again, it took just two minutes for Sheffield to regain the lead, with Luke Aldrich controlling a through ball to leave his defender flatfooted, finishing calmly past the substitute keeper Myles Wright to make it 2-1.
It was 3-1 on 56 minutes, Nathan Modest doing the hard work before being denied by Wright, with Aldrich on the spot to grab his second from the rebound.
Club grabbed a fourth on 68 minutes with Ndlovu once again showing the defence a clean pair of heels, finding himself clear on goal, keeping his cool once again to drill into the bottom corner.
It should have been five moments later, with Aldrich being denied his hat-trick, as Robbie McNicholas cleared off the line.
Next up for Sheffield is the final warm up game, when they face Basford United at The MEPS International Home of Football, with a 3:30pm kick off.
Sheffield FC: 1 Jordan Pierrepont , 2 Sam Greenhouse (Jamie Yates 62'), 3 Stephen Brogan (Owen McGourlay 83'), 4 Harry Mitchell (Corey Glaves 61'), 5 Joshua Burns, 6 Alfie Smith, 7 Jake Scott, 8 Connor Cutts, 9 Luke Aldrich, 10 Nathan Modest (Riley Noble 66'), 11 Benni Ndlovu.
Subs: 12 Corey Glaves, 13 Edd Hall, 14 Owen McGourlay, 15 Jamie Yates, 16 Riley Noble.
Matlock Town: 1 Saul Deeney (Miles Wright 45'), 2 Robbie McNicholas, 3 Joe West, 4 Sam Hooper, 5 Jamie Robert Sharman, 6 Ollie Clark , 7 Karl Demidh , 8 John Johnston , 9 Reece Styche (Harry Wakefield 55'), 10 John Margetts (Benjamin Henderson 60'), 11 Archie White.
Subs: 12 Harry Wakefield, 14 Benjamin Henderson, 15 Remi Efunnuga, 19 Miles Wright.
Attendance: 251
Referee: Karl Parker