Grantham Town triumph on the road at Matlock

Northern Premier League

Premier Division

Matlock Town 0

Grantham Town 2

The Gingerbreads triumphed on the road to take a total of four points from six in their opening two fixtures of the New Year.

Following on from their 1-1 draw at home to Frickley Athletic on New Year’s Day, Grantham scored a goal in each half to take all three points from their visit to Matlock on Saturday.

Grantham were lively from the off and had early scoring opportunities through Danny Meadows and Lee Miveld, neither of whom were too far off-target.

The home side had a chance of their own on 13 minutes but Danny Holland poked straight to Gingerbreads goalkeeper Dan Haystead from close range. Matlock were punished for their inability to finish a minute later.

A Paul Grimes cross was headed out by the home side’s Micky Harcourt, but only as far as Michael Emmott who sent the ball towards the far post where Meadows was squeezed in to cheekily head home.

But it was not all one-sided and Haystead was made to earn his keep, making saves to deny both James Ashmore’s strike and a header from Holland.

The Gingerbreads did not allow Haystead’s opposite number Jon Kennedy to relax and he had to be alert to save Grimes’s goalbound effort. Grantham’s final opportunity to increase the lead saw Emmott clip the ball off the outside of the post.

Grantham were quick to double their advantage once the second period got under way, with Tom Batchelor riding two challenges to stroke home for 2-0.

The home side’s substitutions were to no avail and the Gingerbreads continued to threaten – Rhys Lewis brought a good save from Kennedy, whilst Meadows and Grimes could have done better with their chances.

Grantham Town: Haystead, Purcicoe, Kay, Batchelor, Hellewell, Miveld, Meadows, Lewis, Grimes, Saunders (Cockerline, 79), Emmott (Rawden, 90). Subs not used: Johnson, Divver, Rhule.

Att: 306.