Reds snatch late point in six goal thriller

A late equalizer from second half substitute Chris Baguley saw FC United claim a point as they got their UniBond Premier League campaign underway with an exciting six goal thriller against Matlock Town in front of 2,344 at Gigg Lane on Saturday.

The Reds started the game nervously and it was the Gladiators who came out attacking in the quest for maximus points; immediately looking like they could grab an early goal.

The main threat from the visitors looked like being forward Ross Hannah, and Hannah duely obliged when he found himself one on one with Sam Ashton with less than six minutes on the clock, the forward coolly lobbed the ball over the United keeper’s head to put the visitors a goal up.

After about 10 minutes United got their foot on the ball and began to keep hold of possession, gently working their way into the game.

After a corner wasn’t cleared properly Dale Whitehead popped the ball back into the box and past defender Ashley Foyle, who brought the midfielder down giving United a penalty and a chance to level the scores.

New signing Kyle Wilson notched up his first competive goal for the club, his third in total, as he powerfully blasted the ball into the bottom corner to make the scores 1-1. Wilson didn’t have to wait long to add to his tally as minutes later he latched onto Liam Foster’s long through ball and after a one on one challenge with Matlock keeper; Andy Richmond, Wilson had the easy task of slotting home to give United the edge.

Halfway through the opening session Simon Carden was released by some beautiful one touch football from Wilson and Roca, but the midfield man will be disappointed with his tame effort that resembled more of a pass than a shot straight into Richmond’s arms.

A string of half chances were spurned by United and drawing towards half time the visitors were allowed back into things when Hannah broke once more and coolly slotted past Sam Ashton to send the teams into the interval level at 2-2.

The second half took a while to get going and the first chance of any real note was when Jamie Baguely’s volley tested Richmond’s reactions, but other than that neither team could establish themselves.

One player who was dangerous for the opposition was right winger Jamie Donnelly-Jackson, whose pace troubled the United defence all afternoon. It was that pace that saw Donnelly-Jackson get free with twenty minutes left and when his cross evaded Sam Ashton all that was left to do was for Dene Chopper to head into the empty net.

Looking to get something out of the match Margy made changes to the personnel bringing on Chris Baguely and Nick Robinson, and to the formation putting three at the back and moving Carlos Roca onto the right, a position where he came into his own in the last ten minutes.

United squandered some half decent chances and it looked like for the second season running the campaign would begin with a defeat.

But some good passing play down the middle from Dave Neville and a quick touch on by Nick Robinson followed by a nice one-two between Chris Baguley and Simon Carden saw Baguely through on goal. Eight yards out Baguley slotted underneath the ’keeper with only seconds of the allotted 90 minutes remaining.

With three minutes of stoppage time United pushed on looking for the win but couldn’t created the space to get another goal but will be more than happy with the point.

It was an afternoon that merely whetted the appetite for the coming nine months, showed us what we’d been missing for the past three and managed to show everything that FC United are about in just 90 minutes.

Next up for United is an away trip to Cammell Laird on Tuesday evening.

Team

Sam Ashton
Liam Foster
Bradley Howard
Dale Whitehead
David Chadwick (captain)
Micah Bleau
Jamie Baguley
Simon Carden
Kyle Wilson
Carlos Roca
Danny Williams

Subs:

Chris Baguley (on for 7, 67)
Nick Robinson (on for 6, 77)
Dave Neville (on for 4, 86)
Kyle Harrop
Danny Self

Goals: Wilson (15 pen, 18), C Baguley (90)
Booked: Chadwick (28), J Baguley (65)