For the second successive away game, Matlock were humiliated conceding five goals again in what was another alarming performance.
Just what has gone wrong in the past fortnight is anyone's guess, but whatever it is needs to be rectified without delay. In the end Town were embarrassed and when referee Murphy blew the final whistle it came as a relief to the few travelling fans. To their credit, the players applauded their followers, but they looked sheepish and embarrassed themselves, and now manager Mark Atkins needs to use all of his knowledge, guile and experience to steady the ship which at present is travelling on stormy seas.
Atkins, to his crdit, tried a different formation, giving a debut to on loan central defender Simon Sturdy from Harrogate Town. Sturdy lined up alongside Mark Haran and James Lukic at the heart of a defence, which on paper at least, looked to have solidity and experience.
It proved not to be the case however, despite a bright start and the boost of a fine ROSS HANNAH strike on 6 minutes to give the visitors the lead. Never afraid to have a go on his own, Hannah did just that, with a low twenty yard daisycutter which found the bottom corner past the despairing right hand of goalkeeper Danny Gay.
Lynn were looking uncertain at the back, but were given a lifeline with a ludicrous penalty award within just four minutes as player manager Carl Heggs went down while under challenge from Haran. There were no appeals from the home players, and the home fans were laughing as Matlock disputed the award led by skipper Lukic with Adam Sollitt being booked for his protests. ANTHONY ROBINSON made no mistake from the spot and it was now to be all downhill for the Gladiators.
Haran, still seething about the spot kick sycthed through Muirhead and was cautioned, as was Heggs, who had nothing to do with the incident but came in to throw his weight about. Then Haran had a free header from a free kick which he planted too high, before fouling Muirhead again and was perhaps a touch fortunate to stay on the field.
Lynn were then denied what looked to be a stonewall penalty as Owen Story was felled under challenge from Scott Brough. Referee Murphy was getting little right. The Linnets upped the tempo forcing three corners on the trot just after the half hour,and the last one paid dividends, but it was also due to poor Town defending.
They could just not clear their lines and were made tp pay when STORY ran on to aCarl Palmer pass to crash an unstoppable shot past Sollitt. Matlock responded to force a flag kick of their own and after a Lukic header had been blocked, Steve Warne, now club captain, with Lukic team captain, returned the ball sweetly into the centre for Gay to pull off a good stop from Nathan Benger's header.
2-1 down at the interval, Matlock needed to be solid at the start of the second period, but as at Bradford, seven days earlier, they conceded early. There had alrady been two bad Lynn misses prior to the 49th minute strike. Matlock had more than enough chances to hack the ball clear, but again, the ball kept on coming back and the irritable HEGGS stabbed home from close range.
An unconvincing Danny Wood shot drifted beyond the back post and Liam King drove harmlessly wide before Hannah limped off with a groin strain on 59 minutes, hopefully as a precaution.
But Matlock were under the cosh and Sollitt pulled off a fine double save from Robinson, who ws found by debutant and ex Gladiator Curtis Shaw. Robinson then was denied by a last ditch interception before Benger was replaced with Darren Cartwright and Lukic went up front. He flicked a header wide soon after Haran headed a corner over, but there was danger every time Lynn went forward and SHAW blasted in from eight yards on 76 minutes following more inept defending.
Only a timely intervention from King stopped Muirhead from adding a fifth, before an equally good block from Brough did likewise. Dene Cropper sliced wide late on, but that fifth Lynn goal which had been on the cards came in stoppage time when a faulty back header from Adam Yates sent Muirhead sprinting down the left. His cross sat up nicely for substitute KUWESI APPIAH to stroke in the easiest goal he will probably score.
So another horror away day for the Gladiators, started by an official's moment of madness, but continued by many more bad decisions from the Town players.
Lynn celebrated another big step in the right direction after a troubled start. A smurf invaded the pitch at the end and over zealous stewards marched him off out of the ground.But even that could not raise a smile from the visiting fans who deserved a whole lot more, certainly not a depressing showing like this.
MATLOCK TOWN: Sollitt, Brough, Yates, King, Haran, Lukic, Wood, Warne (Davies 77), Benger (Cartwright 68), Hannah (Cropper 59), Sturdy. Other subs: Buxton, Algar.
REFEREE: N Murphy--Mansfield. ATTENDANCE: 897. STAR MAN: Ross Hannah.
