Late Yates penalty sees Gladiators progress in Integro League Cup thriller

The tie looked to be heading for a penalty shoot-out until the first minute of stoppage time when Matlock substitute Curtis Morrison was recklessly brought down by Daniel Kavanagh.

Jamie Yates netted convincingly from the spot to make a shoot out unnecessary and put a much-changed Matlock through to the next round.

Academy players Jordan Pierrpont, Ben Edgson, Tom Savage and Jordan Lee all made full first team debuts, as did latest signing Kevin Grocott.

Bedworth, whose Oval headquarters has a 3G pitch, had two early efforts as Daniel Creaney nodded wide from a hanging right wing cross from Kavanagh before Pierrpont held a strike from Janabi Amour, but Amour shot the First Division South hosts into a 24th minute lead, shooting past Pierrpont from 12 yards.

But nine minutes later Savage would remember his debut well as Edgson’s clinical through pass was superbly weighted as it cut through the home rearguard for Savage to roll a neat finish beyond goalkeeper Nick Draper.

Lee drove narrowly wide following fine play from skipper Joe Doyle-Charles before Bedworth were happy to survive a scramble which might have seen both Marc Newsham and Savage find the target.

Adam Yates and Michael Williams were brought on at the interval but Kavanagh would come desperately close to regaining the lead for the Greenbacks, running from deep to blast narrowly wide from 25 yards.

Alex Pursehouse deserved better with a fine run and cross which Liam Cross did well to head clear before Morrison replaced Savage.

Lee and Edgson played major parts in Town going ahead on the hour as Newsham glanced in the latter’s cross from the left.

Soon afterwards Draper saved superbly from Morrison, this being quickly followed by Jamie Yates firing inches wide after a neat one-two with Newsham.

When Newsham got the slightest of touches to help in a Williams header from Jamie Yates’ 65th minute corner, Matlock looked like comfortable winners, but within two minutes Nathan McGarrity got the final touch to beat Pierrpont after Elliott Parrott’s header from a short corner routine had created the chance.

Newsham twice had chances to complete a hat-trick but Matlock became sloppy, conceding some cheap free kicks. It was from one such situation that Luke Rowe levelled on 82 minutes, with the diving Pierrpont only managing to tip the Bedworth’s direct fiercely hit strike into the net.

Matlock were down to ten men in the closing stages after Newsham limped off, but scraped through with Yates’ late penalty, the strike meaning that Matlock’s academy coach had joined one of his students in Savage by netting in the same game.

Bedworth: Draper, Kavanagh, Rowe, Parrott (Dodds 71), Cross, Haines (Hardwick 46), Amour, Brehon, Creaney, McGarritty, Moore (Cadby 61). Subs not used: Penny, Theobald.

Matlock: Pierrpont, Pursehouse, Edgson, Doyle-Charles (Williams 46), de Girolamo, Wiley (A Yates 46), J Yates, Grocott, Newsham, Savage (Morrison 57), Lee. Subs not used: Dinanga, McManus.

Ref: Richard Price (Birmingham)

Att: 62

Best Gladiator: Jamie Yates