Former Stoke City youngster scores in trial for Chesterfield at Matlock Town

Ex Stoke City youngster Ryan Hill scored in a trial for Chesterfield in their 4-2 defeat at Causeway Lane.

The 20-year-old winger was named on the team-sheet as ‘trialist’ and saw plenty of action other than his second half headed goal.

Martin Allen sent a team comprised almost entirely of youth team and academy players to the Evo-Stik Premier Division outfit.

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The hosts were unlucky not to take a first minute lead, Marcus Marshall getting in on the right and finding Kieran Watson who brought a good stop from Joe Anyon.

When Alex Hirst crossed it back in, Anyon spilled the ball up into the air but held Jamie Jackson’s header well.

Chesterfield made no mistake with their first chance, Joe Rowley running at the defence and slotting in Luke Rawson, whose goalbound effort was helped into the net by Matlock defender Jake Phillips.

Matlock settled well after conceding and despite not being able to create much, levelled through a goalkeeping error.

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Anyon played the ball to Rowley, who was under pressure and had to give it straight back, but when the keeper tried to pass it out again he played it straight against Jordan Chappell and the ball ended up in his net.

The crossbar came between Matlock and the lead, Jamie Jackson unselfishly feeding strike partner Kieren Watson, whose half volley rattled the woodwork with Anyon beaten.

Rowley’s ability to run at pace with the ball put his side back on the front foot, the youngster driving into the box and feeding Levi Amantchi, who made room and shot low, Richard Walton saving comfortably.

Seconds later Hill, playing on the left, skipped into the area and saw his shot deflected just past the post.

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Matlock hit the front for the first time just after the half hour mark, Jackson rising at the back post to meet Alex Hirst’s cross and sending a header into the corner of Anyon’s net.

Jackson came close to his second when he raced in on Anyon’s goal and forced the keeper into a stop with his legs.

But from the resulting corner Watson got up highest and thumped a header into the net for a 3-1 half-time lead.

The visitors pulled a goal back early in the second half, Rowley sending a deep cross to the back post for Hill to loop a header over Walton and into the net.

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That goal seemed to lift the young Spireites, Amatchi speeding away from halfway and releasing Rawson who was denied by Walton.

The corner was played short and Charlie Wakefield saw an effort from distance deflected onto the bar.

Chesterfield’s youthful side were much improved in the second half, keeping hold of the ball better and often doing all the hard work only to fail with the final ball.

However the scoreline was given a harsher look with eight minutes remaining, a corner from the left nicked in off the far post by Michael Williams.

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Matlock: Walton, Phillips (Hall 59), Hirst, Vince, Wiley, Yates, Chappell, Marshall (Nash 84), Watson (Wood 69), Cribley (Williams 62), Jackson (Whitehead 74). Subs: Yeomans, Brownell, Harrad, Pierrepont.

Chesterfield: Anyon, Howard, Sharman, Render, Gibson (Bradbury 42), Ofoegbu (Warmsley 78), Trialist, Rowley, Wakefield, Rawson (Foster 66), Amantchi (Holmes 75). Subs: Wharton.

Referee: Jamie O’Connor. Assistants: Gareth Carlile, Rob Rees.

Goalscorers: Chappell 19, Jackson 31, Watson 40, Williams 83; Rawson 5, trialist 53

Attendance: 1,333