Match Report
FC United continued their 100% start from their league campaign, as a 4-0 home victory over Matlock Town ensured the Reds completed three wins from their first three games.
Goals either side of half time for Michael Norton and Carlos Roca were followed by a brace from captain Kyle Jacobs in his 100th appearance for the Reds to see United run out comfortable winners in a game they controlled from start to finish.
Manager Karl Marginson opted to begin the game with the same starting XI that beat Grantham and then Whitby, and United were quick out of the blocks with Jake Cottrell unleashing a shot that look destined for goal but was blocked by a Matlock defender to give the Reds an early corner.
United took control of the game in the middle of the park, and Norton just saw an effort go over the bar as he gained a little bit of free space in the box. The striker was denied scoring the opening goal again moments later as his head met a Jerome Wright cross from the left but just went wide of the Matlock post.
The visitors seemed content to sit back and soak up the pressure, looking to either take a point away or snatch a late winner, a game plan which was evident in the fact that United stopper James Spencer didn’t have a single thing to do in the first 45 minutes.
Five minutes before the break though the visitors had to rethink this game plan as Norton rose well at the back post to head home a Roca free-kick to give United the lead their commanding performance had deserved.
United began the second half as they ended the first and within five minutes saw their lead doubled. Roca ran rings around the Matlock defence before cutting in on his left to fire towards goal, Matlock ‘keeper Jon Kennedy got his hands to the ball but there was too much power behind Roca’s shot, making it 2-0 to United.
If Spencer had nothing to do in the first half, he was more than ready to be called into action on the hour mark as he produced a great stop in a one-on-one with Matlock forward Lewis McMahon to keep the two goal advantage for United.
Almost immediately, Roca went close with another effort from outside the box but this time Kennedy managed to turn it around the post. Adam Jones must have thought he’d added to United’s lead from the resulting corner but saw his header at the far post just go wide.
United didn’t rest on their laurels and pushed on for the third, with several half chances. The best of those coming when Nicky Platt skidded across the turf at the far post in an effort to get his head on a Stephen Johnson cross from the right.
The Reds didn’t have to wait long as Kyle Jacobs rounded off a beautiful passing move as he powered his way into the box and fired past Kennedy to cap of his centenary appearance for United with a goal. United’s captain hadn’t finished there though. Matlock sat back an invited pressure on, as United controlled the game passing the ball about outside of the visitor’s box. The ball came to Jacobs who drilled the ball hard and low into the bottom corner, putting the icing on the cake of a fantastic team performance.
United kept the momentum going forward and Norton thought he’d made it five as he poked the ball past Kennedy, but was ruled to have just strayed offside in the build up. The United faithful wanted five and Jacobs was urged to shoot every time he had the ball to complete what would have been an unlikely hat-trick, which was close when an effort flew just over the crossbar in injury time.
So United made it three wins from three with a more than impressive performance from start to finish. Coupled with the first clean sheet of the season there’s much to feel happy about as United make their way to Witton Albion on Bank Holiday Monday.
This is the second time United have won all three of their opening games at this level but be warned - last time they did they lost their next three. A feat that Margy and the players will be keen not to replicate this season.
Report by Craig Phillips.
Match Report
FC United continued their 100% start from their league campaign, as a 4-0 home victory over Matlock Town ensured the Reds completed three wins from their first three games.
Goals either side of half time for Michael Norton and Carlos Roca were followed by a brace from captain Kyle Jacobs in his 100th appearance for the Reds to see United run out comfortable winners in a game they controlled from start to finish.
Manager Karl Marginson opted to begin the game with the same starting XI that beat Grantham and then Whitby, and United were quick out of the blocks with Jake Cottrell unleashing a shot that look destined for goal but was blocked by a Matlock defender to give the Reds an early corner.
United took control of the game in the middle of the park, and Norton just saw an effort go over the bar as he gained a little bit of free space in the box. The striker was denied scoring the opening goal again moments later as his head met a Jerome Wright cross from the left but just went wide of the Matlock post.
The visitors seemed content to sit back and soak up the pressure, looking to either take a point away or snatch a late winner, a game plan which was evident in the fact that United stopper James Spencer didn’t have a single thing to do in the first 45 minutes.
Five minutes before the break though the visitors had to rethink this game plan as Norton rose well at the back post to head home a Roca free-kick to give United the lead their commanding performance had deserved.
United began the second half as they ended the first and within five minutes saw their lead doubled. Roca ran rings around the Matlock defence before cutting in on his left to fire towards goal, Matlock ‘keeper Jon Kennedy got his hands to the ball but there was too much power behind Roca’s shot, making it 2-0 to United.
If Spencer had nothing to do in the first half, he was more than ready to be called into action on the hour mark as he produced a great stop in a one-on-one with Matlock forward Lewis McMahon to keep the two goal advantage for United.
Almost immediately, Roca went close with another effort from outside the box but this time Kennedy managed to turn it around the post. Adam Jones must have thought he’d added to United’s lead from the resulting corner but saw his header at the far post just go wide.
United didn’t rest on their laurels and pushed on for the third, with several half chances. The best of those coming when Nicky Platt skidded across the turf at the far post in an effort to get his head on a Stephen Johnson cross from the right.
The Reds didn’t have to wait long as Kyle Jacobs rounded off a beautiful passing move as he powered his way into the box and fired past Kennedy to cap of his centenary appearance for United with a goal. United’s captain hadn’t finished there though. Matlock sat back an invited pressure on, as United controlled the game passing the ball about outside of the visitor’s box. The ball came to Jacobs who drilled the ball hard and low into the bottom corner, putting the icing on the cake of a fantastic team performance.
United kept the momentum going forward and Norton thought he’d made it five as he poked the ball past Kennedy, but was ruled to have just strayed offside in the build up. The United faithful wanted five and Jacobs was urged to shoot every time he had the ball to complete what would have been an unlikely hat-trick, which was close when an effort flew just over the crossbar in injury time.
So United made it three wins from three with a more than impressive performance from start to finish. Coupled with the first clean sheet of the season there’s much to feel happy about as United make their way to Witton Albion on Bank Holiday Monday.
This is the second time United have won all three of their opening games at this level but be warned - last time they did they lost their next three. A feat that Margy and the players will be keen not to replicate this season.
Report by Craig Phillips.
