This FA Cup replay was finally put to bed by Bury in the final fifteen minutes of extra time when the hosts grabbed both goals to edge past Matlock and earn a home clash with Bedford Town in the next round.
As on Saturday a penalty led to their downfall. BEN COKER had equalised three minutes into added time at Causeway Lane to force the replay, and on Tuesday he converted from the spot again in the 114th minute following a handling offence from Adam Yates to put Bury in front. With Matlock having to throw caution to the wind, the second goal in the 122nd minute was probably immaterial as substitute ANDY WOOD ran through unchallenged to run the ball into an empty goal.
Yates, at fault for both goals, should not, however beat himself up about his misfortune. Up to then he had given a faultless performance alongside James Lukic in central defence with Mark Haran unable to make the long journey due to work commitments.
Dene Cropper, who had headed Matlock's second goal on Saturday, kept his place up front with Jamie Jackson also not travelling due to illness.
The Gladiators squad had endured a tortuous five hour journey,due to a serious accident which had closed the A14 near Kettering, the coach not arriving at Ram Meadow until 7.15pm. Hornchurch referee Barry Holderness only allowed them an extra five minutes preparation, ordering a 7.50 pm start. Strangely, one of his assistants, appointed by the Suffolk FA was from, you've guessed it, Bury St Edmunds!!
An even, well contested, sometimes skilful and sometimes scrappy match got under way with Bury forcing a 2nd minute corner which was quickly played short for Coker to flash a centre across the face of the Gladiators goal. The visitors replied with Ross Hannah's cross being blocked, but it was fully 15 minutes before the first shot in anger arrived. The hosts worked the ball cleverly across field from the left for Ross Kelly to shoot fiercely wide from 20 yards.
Matlock were immediately down the other end for Danny Wood, having his best game for a long time on the right flank, to float over a cross which Steve Warne headed over. Callum Kearns stretched to clear another teasing Wood cross before goalkeeper Marcus Garnham comfortably collected Liam King's shot which looped up easily for him after a deflection.
Hannah was fouled some thirty yards out and Gareth Davies whipped in an inviting free kick which the onrushing Lukic missed by a whisker of heading in.
Both defences were working hard to keep a clean sheet and Bury were put under the cosh as Matlock forced three successive corners with Lukic again in the mix.
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The half ended with Coker nodding a free kick wide and Sam Reed firing wide of the near post after a neat Bury passing move.
Sollitt looked to be impeded as the second half got under way, but luckily for the mistaken official and Matlock the corner came to nothing.
The nip and tuck pattern continued as Lee Featherstone's promising raid down the left saw him cross for Warne but the Town skipper could not find sufficient power in his finish to extend Garnham.
Matlock then survived a torrid five minutes which saw Reed again slip his shot wide after Kieran Leabon had caught out Davies. Bury won a corner from which Sollitt superbly tipped over Sam Nunn's header. Then when the next corner was delivered, Featherstone rescued his side with a goal-line clearance from Reed.
But Matlock survived to come again. Lukic rose to head a corner back into the danger zone and Wood unfortunately could not steer a difficult header towards the target. Then Cropper headed wide from a Featherstone cross before Garnham saved another header by the tall Matlock striker.
After the experienced former Ipswich midfielder Gavin Johnson saw a back header clear the bar, Matlock were forced into two quick changes as King and then Featherstone departed with injuries.
Garnham then pulled off a fine stop from Warne as the ninety minute mark was fast approaching but there was still time for a hopeful Leabon cross to strike the bar, before back at the other end, Kearns again covered well to cut out a dangerous Warne centre and davies drove well wide after fine approach play by Cropper.
So it was an extra thirty minutes and Matlock clearly had the better of the opening period. Hannah stretched to force a cross cum shot from Warne over the bar before came a defining moment, one which may have confirmed it would not be Matlock's night. A penetrating Ben Algar run ended with Cropper meeting his low cross at the back post. Many Matlock fans claimed Cropper's shot had crept over the line before home captain Tom Bullard booted clear, but the officials waved play on.
Penalties looked odds on , but with seven minutes left Bury scored their second spot kick of the tie when a hanging cross from the right caught Yates on his outstretched hand with the defender in mid air. COKER was again calmness personified with a shot low to Sollitt's right.
Predictably Matlock pushed men forward. Gaps appeared and after Sollitt denied WOOD, the substitute took advantage of a tired pass back from Yates, and with Sollitt stranded, he had the easiest of tasks in sending Matlock out of the competition.
Matlock had shown plenty of desire, their workrate was great, but Bury defended well on the night, as did Matlock for much of the game.
The Gladiators had one step in the next round late on in the first meeting. That is where the tie was lost.
There was nothing to choose between two very well matched teams in two attempts which could have gone either way.
MATLOCK TOWN: Sollitt, Brough, Featherstone (Algar 81), King (Thorpe 78), Yates, Lukic, Warne, Davies, Cropper, Hannah, Wood. Other subs: Cartwright, Buxton.
REFEREE: B Holderness (Hornchurch, Essex) ATTENDANCE: 518 STAR MAN: Danny Wood.
