Matlock served up a tasty footballing masterclass dish to whet the appetites of the fifty hardy souls who travelled to Burscough for the Gladiators first away game of the season on Tuesday night.
Quite simply at times, Matlock were untouchable as the shackles which had looked to be firmly on against Stocksbridge in the season's opener, had been torn off.
Those fans who witnessed Town's opening two goals at Victoria Park will be hard pressed to find any better ones throughout the whole campaign. Watching Matlock express themselves in such a positive fashion was a far cry from the dross served up in the World Cup during the summer.
Of course an early goal can settle any nerves and that is precisely what happened with just five minutes on the clock.
Ben Algar collected possession from Ross Hannah's initial foray on the left to swing in a delicious cross which COLIN MARRISON rose to meet with a ferocious header into the top corner for what could only be described as a brilliant and classic centre forward's goal.
Marrison and Hannah appeared to link telepathically as the onslaught on the Linnets' goal continued. Marrison turned well on the left of the box to see his low cross blocked at the expense of a corner.
Shortly afterwards, home keeper Sean Lake had to charge out of his goal to intercept a fine through pass meant for Hannah. Burscough were living dangerously at the back, susceptible to the pace and movement in Matlock's attacking moves.
Home debutant Graham Branch, a former Premiership striker at Everton, for once got behind the dominant Mark Haran and James Lukic, but rolled a feeble shot past the far post. Haran and Lukic had him in their pockets, at the interval Branch was substituted.
Town were within a lick of paint of doubling their lead in the 18th minute when James Knowles combined sweetly with Adam Yates down the right to feed Kris Bowler whose twenty yarder thudded against the crossbar with Lake well beaten.
A marvellous clearing header from Lukic to meet a dangerous centre from Craig Mahon helped out goalkeeper Adam Sollitt who collided with a post as he dealt with the danger. Thankfully he soon recovered to grab a low cros from a similar position by Darren Byers.
The Marrison / Hannah combination was at it again when the ex Retford striker turned superbly to feed Hannah who fired narrowly past the back post when well placed. This came shortly after Lake unconvincingly knocked away a piledriver from last season's Golden Boot winner.
HANNAH's first strike of the campaign came in spectacular style after 38 minutes as he hunted down a ball on the right touchline and spotting Lake out of position, turned to execute a stunning 35 yard lob into the back of the net.
Burscough looked for a lifeline before half time and after a promising move between Byers and Branch, the supporting Shaun Holden shot across the face of the goal.
Any hopes the Linnets may have harboured of a fightback were extinguished with a more straightforward Matlock goal on 56 minutes. Town piled on the pressure forcing three quick corners and from the final one, HARAN rose majestically to head past Lake.
To their credit Burscough continued to work hard but were up against a team which knew too much for them. Matlock could even afford to rest Hannah who had a slight back strain with a third of the game still to go.
Burscough were hanging on when Algar, now on the right flank, played in the overlapping Yates whose teasing low cross was an ace in front of the onrushing Marrison. Then there was a bigger escape or the Lancashire side as Lee Featherstone's low cross was turned in by Knowles only for the assistant to intervene with the offside flag.
Matlock defended as a team with Burscough restricted to long shots from substitutes Shaun Judge and Peter Moore which saw Yates block the first and Sollitt comfortably keep out the second.
But it took until stoppage time for Sollitt to be seriously extended, and then it was from Haran's sliced clearance which looped backwards and needed a flying Sollitt tip away from just inside his left hand post.
So an excellent start to the away campaign for Matlock who had no weak links in their side. If they can continue in this vein, then the sky could be the limit for them.
It's early days yet though, but six points from six will be very readily accepted, thank you very much.
The hosts' Matty Parry and Town's Kris Bowler wee the only yellow card recipients, both for mistimed challenges.
MATLOCK TOWN: Adam Sollitt, Adam Yates, Scott Brough, Kris Bowler, Mark Haran, James Lukic, James Knowles (Kris Witcombe 81), Steve Warne, Colin Marrison, Ross Hannah (Lee Featherstone 59), Ben Algar (Dene Cropper 73). Other sub: Nick Buxton.
REFEREE: N Greenhalgh--Bury ATTENDANCE: 159 STAR MAN: Colin Marrison.
