A disappointing end to a disappointing season for the Gladiators who gave away three scrappy goals to gift Ashton victory.

 

Ashton thus completed a league double over Matlock, who, in spite of making a number of changes, should have won the match comfortably.A home victory would have been the perfect finale for two worthy Matlock stalwarts, midfielder Steve Circuit, and striker Steve Taylor, who announced their retirements prior to kick off.

 

Circuit was named as skipper and Taylor was on the bench. Cameron Fearon returned to the back four with Circuit partnering Matty Thorpe in midfield. Ruben Wiggins-Thomas and Matty Caudwell occupied the flanks and Ben Kistell joined Dene Cropper in attack with leading scorer Simon Barraclough warming the bench.

 

Had Matlock defended better, their season would have finished on a high with a tenth placed ending. But Ashton's presents from Town saw the hosts slide to sixteenth.

 

And the inept defending began inside ninety seconds. From a left wing corner after a free kick had not been effectively cleared, nobody picked up centre back Matty Flynn who netted with a simple header.

 

Caudwell's shot from the edge of the box drifted harmlessly wide before a bizarre incident could have given Matlock major encouragement as Robins goalkeeper Damien Rooney completely fluffed clearing a gentle back pass. Fortunately for Rooney, there was no pace on the ball and he was able to redeem his error by making a better job of his second attempt by his right hand post.

 

Nathan Wharton scampered back to turn behind a Kistell cross from the left before Matlock forced another corner through a direct run by Wiggins-Thomas who looked a threat going forward virtually every time he was in possession.

 

The equaliser came in the 29th minute with PAUL RILEY cracking in his seventh goal of a personally productive campaign. Advancing from deep, he exchanged passes with Dene Cropper before rifling a superb shot past Rooney from the edge of the box. It was a beautifully worked goal.

 

Matlock held the upper hand for the rest of the half, but Riley wasted a couple of promising free kick situations from the right and afte Thorpe was brought down on the left, Lukic headed Kistell's free kick over the bar.

 

Barraclough replaced Cropper for the second half  and almost immediately he was involved in a sweet move with Wiggins-Thomas and Thorpe with Circuit getting in the way of Thorpe's low drive. The pressure was momentarily eased as Circuit impeded Rooney who seconds later lost a Wiggins-Thomas cross with Circuit looking certain to score. But Flynn suspiciously looked to have used a hand to block the midfielder's header and Ashton escaped. A fierce low volley from Caudwell was inches wide, but then came a moment typical of Matlock's afternoon as they breathed again when Ryan Laight allowed Ian Fitzpatrick in behind him. Fitzpatrick lobbed Richmond but struck the upright.

 

Laight then popped up at the opposite end, seeing his goalbound shot charged down after Lukic had nodded down a corner but the Gladiators pressure paid off on 53 minutes as KISTELL's first timer from a Wiggins-Thomas centre sped under Rooney for a fine finish.

 

Now Matlock should have taken the match by the scruff of the neck but within two minutes they were pegged back, although they had cause to reflect that Haydn Eames looked offside on the right before his low cross caused havoc in the Matlock six yard box. STEVE GARVEY scrambled the ball in from point blank range. .

 

Still Matlock looked to have more goals in them and they could have swiftly been back in front as Kistell curled in a teasing free kick and Lukic's near post header flashed wide. It was a great chance.

 

Rooney looked shaky all afternoon and when Barraclough robbed him, he released Circuit who was denied just his third career goal for Matlock as Rooney's defenders saved him with an important block. But Rooney did do something right as substitute Daniel Williams' raking through pass saw Barraclough in on a one on one with him, but Rooney stretched to palm away the striker's attempted chip and Ashton lived again.

 

Taylor came on for his final Gladiators appearance with the 382 crowd willing him to find the target for one last time. Once again his strength in holding up play and unselfish running caused panic in the opposing defence but he had just the one chance, but again and he hadAshton snuffed out the danger with what seemed to be their umpteenth block of a Town shot.

 

Late on Taylor knocked a Riley cross towards Laight whose half hit shot looked to be crossing the line until Stuart Howson's last ditch clearance kept the ball out.

 

But with three minutes left, Ashton pinched all three points again with Matlock contributing greatly to their own downfall as substitute GARETH RICHARDS forced in the Robins'third untidy goal of the day from close range.

 

In many ways the game typified Matlock's season in that they failed to hold a lead, giving away some cheap goals. They will be glad they were safe prior to kick off for by conceding goals so easily, their  fans' nerves would have been well and truly shattered by the final whistle. Matlock scored two cracking goals, but they counted  for nothing because they were all too generous in handing Ashton their three goals on a plate.

 

MATLOCK TOWN: Richmond, Fearon, Riley, Circuit, Laight, Lukic, Wiggins-Thomas, Thorpe, Cropper (Barraclough 46), Kistell (Taylor 70), Caudwell (Williams 62)

REFEREE: R Newman (Barnsley)  ATTENDANCE; 382  STAR MAN: Ruben Wiggins-Thomas