Cammell Laird 2-2 Matlock Town
Matlock wasted a great chance to earn three valuable points, their first league double and their first back to back league victories this season when they were held by Cammell Laird's ten men.
The Lairds had just gone a goal up when on 29 minutes, midfielder Stewy Graves lunged cynically into Adam Yates and Stone referee Colin Rushton without hesitation, pulled out his red card.
But in spite of having the bulk of the possession thereafter Matlock could not make their extra man count and they were left to reflect on two points most definitely dropped which could hurt them in four weeks time.
There was a blow for Matlock on the morning of the game when on loan striker Danny Davidson had to pull out through family commitments. Lee Featherstone began a two match suspension so Paul Riley was recalled at full back and Liam King was fit enough for a recall in midfield as Matlock reverted to a 4-4-2 formation after a couple of matches at 4-3-3. On the bench was a familiar old face with Ian Clarke back at the club after a three year gap.
In blustery conditions and on an uneven surface, the early exchanges were scrappy with a dearth of chances in the opening twenty minutes. Lee Atherton appeared to handle a Paul Riley cross and got away with it while Dene Cropper's handling offence in trying to convert a cross from Danny Wood was far more obvious and he was booked.
It was full 22 minutes before the first chance came and even then it would not have counted as Atherton broke forward to head wide a Graves cross and was flagged offside.
The Lairds, a place below Matlock on goal diffeence, put together a promising move four minutes later as Anthony Gardner fed Josh Thompson whose searing shot flew over the bar.
Ross Hannah, at the centre of Matlock's best attacking moves, linked well with Steve Warne who in turn released Liam King to force a left wing corner which was met by an Ashley Foyle header which looped too high before Wood's firm strike was well saved by Richie Whiteside with the game starting to come to life.
And it most definitely did as inept defending, Matlock;'s achilles heel all too often this season, reared its ugly head once more.
Paul Pettinger did well to turn aside another fierce strike from Thompson and then kept out Chris Adamson's first attempt from the corner after he had been left unmarked. But it was ADAMSON who reacted the quickest to bundle in the loose ball and leave Matlock with it all to do.
Their task looked to have been made easier by Graves' stupidity and manager Atkins reacted by withdrawing holding midfielder Matty Thorpe and bringing on Jamie Jackson.
And the move paid off with the match entering its 45th minute with Hannah taking the plaudits for magnificently creating the equalising goal. A great turn on the left, some fine pace and a peach of a cross set up JACKSON to score with a superb header which should have been the ideal fillip for Matlock with thre interval so close.
But Matlock again made life doubly difficult for themselves, still managing to go in at the interval in arrears.
They had survived a goalmouth scramble when Cammells kept up the pressure and a rash and crazy challenge by Riley on John Collins gifted Lairds a penalty. ADAMSON took it with Pettinger managing to half block but the ball sneaked over the line thanks to the assistance of the strong wind.
Within ninety seconds of the restart the Gladiators should have had a penalty of their own when Yates wqas sent sprawling by home skipper Anthony Lynch but to the amazement of everyone, Mr Rushton waved away vehement appeals from players and crowd.
Hannah curled a free kick over from twenty five yards after workhorse Cropper had been fouled and a Yates cross from the right was marginally too far in front of the onrushing Wood. But the goal which had been coming eventually arrived on 58 minutes as HANNAH ended his scoring drought at the seventh time of asking by clipping a neat finish under Whiteside after Cropper's flick on.
Surely now Matlock would go on and claim the extra two points, but Lairds to thjeir credit dug in and with the Gladiators vulnerability in defence, they created a couple of chances of their own. Pettinger saved superbly from Thompson after a faulty Foyle header and Adamson saw an effort drop wide.
For Matlock Wood was denied his first Gladiators goal thanks to a marvellous Whiteside save from a well struck free kick and then King broke through but his shot lacked power. A more venemous strike from Riley was blocked by Atherton's head before in a scramble ten yards out, Hannah could not control effectively with the ball frustratingly running away from the supporting Warne.
But Matlock were most unlucky in the dying seconds when King shot against the inside of Whiteside's right hand post with the ball falling to Jackson who was then flagged offside. Lairds took the free kick and the final whistle blew.
Matlock though could and should have won but equally their performance was not what their fans were looking for. The Lairds were there for the taking but what the hosts lacked in skill, they more than made up for in grit and determination.
The feeling was one of disappointment with the nagging and persistent worry that these dropped points could come back to haunt the Gladiators.
MATLOCK TOWN: Pettinger, Yates, Riley, King, Laight, Foyle, Wood, Warne, Cropper (Benger 75), Hannah, Thorpe (Jackson 33) Other subs: Clarke, Buxton
REFEREE: C Rushton-Stone ATTENDANCE: 121
