Matlock Town 1-1 Warrington Rylands (Northern Premier League)
Remember football before VAR? No Premier League or Champions League? No money men or corporate Bucks Fizz? When the only game you would you watch was the one shown live on a Sunday afternoon, unless you went to the match the day before of course. You had to read about the others in print the following morning, or if you were lucky, like me, you would race to get the Football Post on a Saturday night before the paper shop shut at 6pm. You may get it before it closes? If not, you'll wait excitedly till tomorrow for all the player ratings and attendance figures.
It's the stripping back of the game I love, simpler times, simpler football, the old working men's game that we long know, that's why I still enjoy going to non league.
I've been doing my research for tonight's game and Warrington Rylands haven't even got a twitter. I'm struggling to find any information on their players as their website isn't the best either, most teams these days will publish their line-ups on Elon Musk's X along with countless other social services but not Warrington who look like they prefer simpler times too.
A mid-Cheshire league side for many years they changed their name by adding the town of Warrington to 'Rylands' in 2020 after winning the North West Counties South Division the season before. They won the FA Vase at Wembley in 2021, beating Binfield in the final 3-2 before winning the Northern Premier League West Division in 21/22. This is their third season in the NPL top flight after finishing fourth last year, but they are currently struggling in the bottom four.
Matlock have been in the NPL since 2005. Twenty years a staple at the level, they have been busy signing big names and international stars to help keep them in the division after a struggling start sees them hovering close to the relegation zone. Tonight is a six pointer but the Gladiators by name have bolstered recently with ex England U20 and Manchester City Academy graduate Adam Clayton (once of Leeds & Middlesbrough) in their as player/coach, yesterday they signed Fouad Bachirou, a Comoros international previously of Nottingham Forest, who also has a Swedish league title having previously played for Malmö. Unfortunately his 'international clearance' hasn't came through in time to make tonight.
It's been a mad house all day, two dogs and my wife's looking after the niece so whilst they're all barking in the garden I make a quick exit at 5:30pm to leave a little earlier than usual just for some peace and quiet along my drive up, from Nottingham to Matlock.
Only a short drive an hour, I'm up the M1 and bypassing Alfreton before taking the back roads towards the peaks, I've arrived on Causeway Lane where there's stewards already on the gates of the Proctors Cars Stadium, I pull up literally outside the ground, opposite a Dominos which I enter and pay £20 for a personal meat feast, some chicken kickers and an orange tango.
The Venue
One of the prettiest on the circuit, one thing you notice about Matlock Town's home ground is the traffic sign outside the turnstile which has tonight's fixture flashing on it.
As you enter through the gates, just £12 on my pre-paid mobile ticket, the character of the venue oozes 'better times' as the three sided arena shared with the local cricket club gives a real nostalgic feel.
I've walked over to the modern Twigg Stand where i've taken a pre-game pew high up, a row off the back, most of the seats around me have reserved stickers on for members. It's a quintessentially English view usually, but tonight is just black skies beyond the blue painted metal roofing, a moon high up faded behind some clouds.
The pitch below looks in good nick, this time of year it does start to have problems in holding water with postponements a regular thing for Matlock between October and Feb, propped up roofed stands are opposite and to my right, as old boys around me chat about the latest signings, they know their stuff in this part of the world, they know this division, not just here for the night out, but proper avid fans who can tell you every player probably of the last twenty years in the NPL.
The Game
I've had to move to the opposite side of the ground as I can't get much phone signal where I'm at, as it fills with more and more locals, so I'm standing at the perimeter of the pitch which is fenced off by a breeze block wall, slightly elevated, it's a real touchline experience as you hear every word of the players, Matlock's in blue, mostly with a Yorkshire accent, Warrington in red, a slight Scouse twinge.
It's a fast start, the ball thumped back and forth and it's tasty as the Referee blows for countless free-kicks which do halt the flow somewhat.
Warrington play some neat football, Matlock look more direct to get down the sides, there's some old boys next to me in flat caps as the cold air forces me every now and again to slip my hands in my coat pockets for some warmth.
Will Russ should score for the visitors when his effort one-on-one is somehow saved by Ravenhill but at the other end Etaluku is quick down the right, he's been causing all sorts of problems for the Rylands defence and he looks to have been caught inside the box as the Matlock players, coaches and fans all scream wildly for a penalty, nothing given, Warrington are up the other end and Russ has another chance, this time he makes no mistake, the tall number nine finishing from a tight angle, there's ten or twenty fans who cheer that goal.
The Score
A win for Warrington would lift them out of the bottom four, a loss for Matlock would edge them closer to it, Montel Gibson rises high to a cross from the right, he's been busy and effective, he's up in the air leg well over his head, I've never seen a leg so high, an incredible overhead kick which crashes off the outside of the post, so near to a stunning leveller as the crowd all gasp and sigh.
It's a slender advantage at half time but Matlock come out on top, by now the Rylands left back has substituted himself with feigned injury so not to deal with Etaluku's pace, every time he gets the ball the message is 'run' as the Barrow loanee has legs on burners, fortunately for Warrington his crosses don't always offer the same quality.
One player who's crossing and passing is on point, is ex-Leeds United and Middlesbrough midfielder Adam Clayton. The longer the game goes the more Matlock have the ball and the more influential the former Premier League star becomes. He plays into the box but Gibson can't divert his header, Clayton then tries his luck from range at the moment the Referee blows up for a Warrington head injury, the ball sailing in past a diving goalkeeper as the crowd turn volatile in uproar, 'Rubbish Referee' they shout, the result is after the injured player is attended to, the Ref gives the Warrington goalkeeper the ball.
Clayton is still pulling strings, the clock is ticking as he pumps another ball into the area with quality, Thompson is found unmarked with time, he shoots low but Pilling saves, another chance goes begging, is it starting to feel like Warrington's night?
By now the away side have had to shuffle their pack with defensive injuries and substitutions and as a tenth corner for Matlock is earned, the ball is played into the box where Gladiators sub Remaye Campbell heads home to rescue some blushes, but there's still time for a winner?
In the exciting end it's not to be, a game full bodied, stripped back, no nonsense, several bookings, several chances, mistakes a plenty, not least from the officials, but that's football, a fair result? Warrington the better team in the first half, they got their goal, Matlock the better in the second half when chasing, they got their goal, lets all shake hands, have a beer in the club bar and move on to Saturday.
The Stars
Matlock's Adam Clayton got better the longer the game got but their key assets were their pace in attack with both Montel Gibson, and mostly Sean Etaluku causing Warrington problems with their direct play. Etaluku is only 20 and has raw talent and speed, Gibson a bit of a journeyman for the level is one who knows where the net is.
Others who impressed were recent signings, Josh Granite, a hard man centre back from Buxton who's always in the ears of team-mates, opponents, and referees, whilst Sam Smart who I last saw play for Boston United, down the left is a good old fashioned winger.
For Warrington I liked the simplicity of their own right winger Ben Hardcastle who looked to get crosses in early, two strikers they had both over 6ft were awkward and combative, Leslie Adekoya and Will Russ often grappling with their man-markers, Russ, who's on loan from Southport looks like a proper no-nonsense number nine with goal threat whilst Adekoya, a Dubliner who signed from Accrington Stanley who's that hot on his day type of player which I imagine when he's good, is really good, but I question if he's often really good enough?
The Verdict
The draw means Warrington sit fourth bottom and in the relegation zone on eleven points, Matlock are two places and three points above them in seventeenth, on tonight's showing, they are both too good to go down.
I didn't know anything about Warrington Rylands before the game, I still don't know too much, but I have worked out they're a good side for the level with good players and they play spells of good football, Matlock are cracking the whip with the signings they have made, what I do know about this football club, is that if you've never been to Causeway Lane, you really should give it a visit.
The Teams
Matlock Town: Rogan Ravenhill, Kwame Boateng, Reece Kendall, Adam Clayton, Josh Granite, Charlie Oglesby, Sam Smart (Jake Thompson 69), Harry Wood (Curtis Durose 57), Montel Gibson, Sam Essien (Remaye Campbell 79), Sean Etaluku.
Warrington Rylands: Luke Pilling, Scott Holding, Max Davies (Cole Lonsdale 41), Harrison Hopper, George Waring (Sandro Da Costa 72), James Neild, Ben Hardcastle, Ben Hough, Will Russ (James Baillie 58), Leslie Adekoya, Jake Daniels.
7:45pm Kick Off. Tuesday 22nd October 2024, Causeway Lane, Matlock (att 520).
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