South Kesteven Sports Stadium Saturday, January 11th, 2014 k/o 15:00   Northern Premier Division Attendance: 249         Grantham Town 1-1 Matlock Town
2013 /14

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Jake - Age 13, Goalscorers: Grantham Town: King (77 mins, pen). Matlock Town: Ashmore (45 mins) Bookings: Matlock Town: Nyoni (22 mins), Harcourt (77 mins). Referee: Mr N Smith. A strong finish form the Gingerbreads earned a point against Matlock. For a long time, it looked as though the Gingerbreads were not going to get back into the game, but the introduction of Liam Motson as after an hour gave Grantham the spark they were missing. It took a while for the game to get going, but it was Grantham who created the first clear chance. Rhys Lewis and Sam Purcicoe set up the chance. Purcicoe’s cross was met by Michael Towey who had lost his defender, but Towey put his header wide of the target. That set the tone for the rest of the first half. There were long periods without either goalkeeper called into action. When chances did come, they were not taken. Both goalkeepers comfortably gathered efforts within a minute of each other. Lewis McMahon did not stretch Dan Haystead, while Kennedy had to wait for Lewis’ scooped shot to come down into his arms. Around the half hour, Matlock began to build some pressure. Paul Lister and Deon Meikle defended well to deny Daryl Thomas a shooting chance. Two minutes before the break, Thomas had a great chance to put Matlock in front. Joe Leesley hit a cross field pass to James Ashmore. His deep cross picked out an unmarked Thomas. Fortunately for Grantham, he put his free header wide. A minute later, Gregg Smith had a chance to have snatched the lead for the Gingerbreads. Lee Ridley delivered a near post cross and Smith got in front of his defender, but could not direct his header inside the post. Matlock immediately took the lead. In the second minute of injury time, Grantham allowed a cross to come in from the right hand side. It took a deflection off a Grantham head and fell to Ashmore unmarked at the far post. He made no mistake and drove a low shot past Haystead. Good defending by the visitor denied Grantham early in the second half. Purcicoe won the ball and send Kyle Dixon away. He exchanged passes with Malachi Lavelle-Moore, but was crowded out by the Matlock defence. A lack of challenge by Lavelle-Moore a few minutes later allowed Matlock in. Oscar Radford had a free header and sent Thomas clear on the Grantham right. His cross was touched away from McMahon by Haystead\''s fingertips. Another cross was delivered into the Grantham penalty area from the Gingerbreads right. Ashmore controlled the ball well again at the far post. Ridley blocked his shot and McMahon could not get power behind his effort as the ball rolled nicely to Haystead. Grantham struggled to mount a threat to the Matlock goal until late in the game. After 73 minutes, Smith won a header on a free kick from Haystead. Lewis hit a shot that dipped late, but hit the top of Kennedy’s crossbar. Two minutes later, Grantham were level. Motson won the ball from the Matlock defence and played a well weighted pass for Gary King. King took the ball on into the Matlock penalty area and was brought down by Micky Harcourt. King took the penalty himself and blasted it past Kennedy to level scores. Neither side stretched each other’s goalkeeper in the search for a winner. Towey was crowded out by the visitors’ defence who also cleared a dangerous cross from Dixon. At the other end, the last chance fell to McMahon, but Purcicoe ensured he could not get a shot away.