Matlock Town v Blyth Spartans | Saturday, 22 March 2025 - 15:00 | League

A youthful Spartans fell to a 2-0 defeat at Matlock.

Matlock opened the scoring in stoppage time of the first half through Gibson before he doubled his tally with a penalty in the 89th minute.

Spartans made 5 changes to the side that lost 3-1 to Warrington Rylands with several youngsters making their way into the line-up. Matthew Bancroft, Lucas Reed, Patrick McClafferty, Leon Burke and Nicky Deverdics were replaced by Lewis Baker, Robert Kinniburgh, Jack Camarda, Zack Simpson and Kevin Prudhoe.

The opening stages of the game were dominated by Matlock Town but they were unable to create any chances.

In the 11th minute, Matlock got their first chance when Jake Thompson had a strike from outside the box that went wide of the right hand post.

Thompson continued to put the pressure on Spartans in the 16th minute when he sent a shot across the face of goal that went just in front of Gibson and out for a goal kick.

It looked like Matlock had scored in the 18th minute when Thompson poked the ball past Lewis Baker but Robert Kinniburgh was able to clear it off the line.

In the 22nd minute, Baker managed to make a save from Montel Gibson's sliced effort from close range.

Gibson went looking for his goal in the 36th minute when he got his head on the end of a corner but his effort went over the bar.

Blyth weren't able to hold out until half-time as Gibson scored for Matlock in stoppage time when a corner was whipped in, hit the crossbar then Gibson was free to tap it in.

Half time: Matlock Town 1-0 Blyth Spartans

Spartans started the second half with more energy and began to get stuck into the game.

In the 47th minute Charlie Aitken got some space outside the box and had a strike that curled away from goal and went wide.

The hosts then got a chance in the 51st minute when a free-kick was whipped in from out wide on the left. Joshua Smith dived to get his head on it but his effort went over the bar.

Spartans got the best chance of the game in the 61th minute when Cyril Giraud charged into the box and had a strike at goal that was saved by Ellis Litherland that then fell towards Kevin Prudhoe at the back post but Jeremie Milambo was able to a tackle in to deny him the chance to shoot.

Both sides struggled to create clear cut chances with Matlock's Gibson being flagged offside on several occasions.

In the 85th minute, youngster and second-half substitute Luke Parker had a shot from distance that went well wide of the near post.

Blyth looked to be still in the game but unfortunately in the 88th minute, Matlock were awarded a penalty after Parker committed a foul in the box Gibson then stepped up to take the penalty and converted it to make it 2-0 to Matlock.

Full time: Matlock Town 2-0 Blyth Spartans

Matlock Town - Litherland, Smith, Milambo, Ravenhill, Granite (c), Oglesby, Stobbs (Smart, 90+1), Bachirou, Gibson, Noel-Williams (Whitehouse, 70), Thompson (Wilson, 85)

Subs not used - Clayton, Zottos

Goals - Gibson (45+2, 89 pen)

Yellow cards - Gibson (83)

Blyth Spartans - Baker, Kinniburgh, Holvey, Camarda (Whittaker, 83), Almond, Oliver, Giraud, Simpson (Burke, 72), Hooper, Aitken, Prudhoe (Parker, 71)

Subs not used - Milburn, Gomez

Yellow cards - Kinniburgh (27), Camarda (43)

Referee - A. Williams