A brace from Ross Hannah plus one each from James Lukic and Ben Algar earned Matlock their expected victory on Durham's artificial surface.
In essence it was a case of mission accomplished for Mark Atkins'men who were on a hiding to nothing. City had lost nearly all of their promotion winning squad from last season when their main sponsor pulled out, but their team of mainly teenagers certainly worked hard, but it was plain to see from their previous results where they had been conceding on average over four goals per game, and in this contest, that they will be the division's whipping boys.
Town gave a debut to Lee Startford who replaced Lee Featherstone at left back in the only change to the finishing line up which drew at Hucknall in midweek. Matty Thorpe was given a place on the bench with Ryan Laight watching from the stand.
A strong swirling wind made life awkward as Matlock sought to make early inroads towards the City goal. They had the boost of a 7th minute goal as City goalkeeper Craig Turns failed to hold on to a low drive from Ben Algar and HANNAH nodded in the rebound which had looped into the air.,
Shortly afterwards Hannah might have doubled the advantage when played through by Steve Warne from the right but Turns was able to save comfortably.
Durham's first meaningful attack saw them win a 10th minute free kick when Mark Haran impeded Craig Smith but Andrew Stephenson curled his free kick a good couple of yards wide. Three minutes later Lukic was allowed a free header at a corner and Durham were nearly severely punished as the ball bounced narrowly past Turns' right hand upright.
Burly forward Chris Smith was putting himself about and when he got the better of Gareth Davies , he centred long to the far post where Kyle Wren nodded wide.This drew applause from the home support who appreciated the work ethic of their energetic youthful side.
Hannah might easily have notched his first Gladiators hat-trick in the match as another chance went begging after 26 minutes. A controlled build up down the left saw Algar's cross only cleared as far as the supporting Stratford who whipped in an inviting cross which Hannah glanced past the far post.
Smith back headed easily wide as Durham remained in contention but that claim should have been questioned after 34 minutes when Liam King latched on to Warne's excellent pullback but opted for placement rather than a good old fashioned blast and Turns was able to save.
But Durham's respite lasted only another minute as Matlock won a free kick on the right and nobody picked up LUKIC who casually stroked a low twelve yarder past Turns to double the Gladiators lead.
Matlock withdrew Cropper as the surface wasn't condusive to his knee complaint and brought on Jackson who with virtually his first touch could have added to the lead when he fired wide of the near post after being found by Warne.
Smith wasn't giving up for Durham and from fully thirty five yards he turned to send in a looping effort which dipped just too late to trouble Adam Sollitt who was mainly unemployed throughout the match.
Adam Yates replaced Haran at the interval, mainly as a precaution with the giant centre half having stretched a little too much in a first half challenge. Matlock were soon on the attack and after good play by Jackson, Hannah was free in the box only for one of many offside flags to come into play.
Durham's first on target effort, and possibly their only one came in the 51st minute when Sollitt easily held a twenty yarder from Graham. Only a catastrophe of suicidal proportions would have stopped Matlock from wining with a lot to spare.
Jackson squandered a golden opportunity on the hour when with only Turns to beat he pulled his shot wide when the net should have bulged, but the former Spireite played a major part in Matlock's third goal in the 70th minute which was beautifully constructed. Jackson fed King on the left in a move of intricate but at the same time simple on the floor passing which ended with HANNAH pushing home the easiest of finishes from six yards.
Thorpe then replaced Lukic with a now central defensive pairing of Yates and King. A strong run by Jackson saw him feed Davies who drove fiercely too high from twenty yards before King ventured up from defence to head a Hannah cross over the bar.
The best bit of individual skill came four minutes from time by Jackson who had the Durham defence in a muddle beating three challenges but then couldn't complete the job as his shot flew too high.
The scoring ended in the last minute when Hannah found ALGAR who kept his composure to slip a neat finish past Turns and into the far corner.
It was hard not to feel sorry for the hosts, but unfortunately there can be no sentiment on the field of play as Matlock carried out a professional job in easing to victory. The one downside was unnecessary bookings for both Yates and Hannah.
MATLOCK TOWN: Sollitt, Brough, Stratford, King, Haran (Yates 46), Lukic (Thorpe 71), Warne, Davies, Cropper (Jackson 37), Hannah, Agar. Subs not used: Featherstone, Buxton.
REFEREE: M Diciccio--Middlesbrough. ATTENDANCE: 170 STAR MAN: Liam King.
