Match Report | Ian Wormleighton

On the back of last week’s defeat to Wyre Villa, a trip to title chasing Fulwood Amateurs was hardly the place to travel for redemption. As it turned out, the Reserves put in one of their best performances of the season to secure a 0–0 draw that could so easily have been three points. Bailey had to shuffle his pack after Kippax and Hunt were promoted to the First Team, and Bardsley’s illness ruled him out of contention. Taylor Jnr, Hewitt and Waite were welcomed back to the starting line up and it was great to see Flemming and Carlo Maticheccia back with the squad after long term injuries.

On such a large, and fantastically looked after, pitch a 4–5–1 formation was chosen with Waite, the front runner, expected to hound the centre halves and Hewitt, Wormleighton and Dre Maticheccia to provide support from midfield on the counter attack.

The match settled into a fairly predictable pattern; Fulwood would have a good spell of possession in and around the halfway line until they ran into the superb Twiname and Taylor Jnr in the centre of midfield. Only two chances of note were created by the home side in the first half; one a swift break resulting in a great save by Maycock and another from a freekick being headed on to the top of the cross bar. Other than that, Garstang’s back four dealt with the quick and skillful attack admirably with Miller and Baldwin back to top form, Southward and Swanwick also putting in fantastic displays and Maycock barely putting a foot wrong all game.

Having soaked up some pressure in the early stages, Garstang’s confidence rose and they began to look like a force to be reckoned with on the counter. Several excellent interchanges between Waite, Hewitt and Dre Maticheccia were some of the best football that Garstang had played all season and Maticheccia in particular looked a danger every time he got the ball.

The second half proved to be played to a similar tune although, this time, Garstang had the better chances limiting Fulwood to set pieces and rarely allowing them to strike on goal. Twiname and Taylor Jnr were competing excellently against a physically imposing central midfield pairing for Fulwood and were beginning to get forward more to support Waite, who was tireless all afternoon. The impressive Maticheccia had a hand in Garstang’s first two clear cut chances, firstly beating two players on the edge of the box to blaze wide with his left foot and then doing well down the left wing to set up Wormleighton whose well struck drive flew harmlessly wide. Garstang’s best chance came after good work from Wormleighton and Twiname resulted in a freekick right on the edge of the area that Baldwin placed right into the bottom corner only for the keeper to pull out an excellent stop.

The final minutes were played out largely with Garstang on the back foot but never looking like conceding. Flemming and Carlo Maticheccia both came on for Hewitt and Dre Maticheccia and looked like they’d never been away. The result was probably fair on both teams but, for the management, the response to last week’s defeat was incredibly important. It proved that the lads can compete ably against the top sides in this division, not only in terms of commitment and passion, but also in terms of skill and technique. Man of the Match – Andy Taylor Jnr – competed excellently in the centre of the park and never looked hurried in possession.

Garstang: Maycock, Southward, Baldwin, Miller (c), Swanwick, Twiname, Taylor Jnr, Wormleighton, D Maticheccia, Hewitt, Waite
Substitutes: Fleming, C Maticheccia