Match Reports

The Geoquip Stadium has often been a happy hunting ground for the Mariners and thanks to a well taken Karl O'Donnell hat trick, the Liverpudlians' great record here was maintained.

Marine had won on twelve out of twenty one league visits to Matlock with just three defeats prior to kick off and their domination of the contest meant that their fine record was seldom in danger of being damaged. In fact, the major surprise was with the final scoreline, with Marine's victory being far easier than the 3-2 margin would suggest.

It has been a long time since a side has come to the Geoquip Stadium and enjoyed so much of the attacking play. At times a rout looked on but to their credit Matlock stuck to their task defiantly to prevent a more emphatic defeat.

Facing Marine with a full strength line up is never easy, so to have to with five first choice players sidelined was unenviable. Their three main strikers, Leading scorer Simon Barraclough, Steve Taylor and in form Dene Cropper were all out, as were defenders Ryan Davis and Glenn Kirkwood. So Jake Pidcock and fit again Laurence Hall took on the striking role, with the remainder of the line up being that which won 2-0 at Lincoln United seven dsays earlier. The registration of forward Eugene Francis, formerly with Chesterfield, had not gone through in time for him to play.

The first, and their only chance prior to the interval, fell to Matlock as Hall's scuffedeffort from a Maty Caudwell cross was blocked easily in the 4th minute. From then on it was all Marine.

They drove menacingly forward using both flanks, putting in a series of crosses which Matlock were forced to defend efficiently.Riley did well to get his head to a Darren Brookfield ball, which even then, bounced only inches past the far post for a second successive Marine corner. Then the returning Peter Cumiskey, with seventeen league and cup goals to his credit this season and a great record against the Gladiators, had a shot charged down before chipping another effort goalwards which Andy Richmond gathered confidently.

As the pressure increased, a neat short corner routine ended with Richmond saving superbly from O'Donnell at his near post before the goalkeeper read a long range Brookfield effort to collect efficiently.

But Brookfield spurned a great opportunity to score in the 19th minute asAdam Farley's fine centre to the near post was lifted over the bar by Brookfield from inside the six yard box.

There was then a thirteen minute break before the next moment of alarm for Matlock which came when Cumiskey's clever back heel from a Brookfield cross needed atouch more venom to find the target.

Just when it seemed as if Matlock might just escape the half being unscathed they were hit by a double hammer blow of two goals in two minutes.

They were unfortunate on 34 minutes when referee Scott Ledger's positioning was badly at fault as he got in Gary Webster's way as he attempted to clear just inside the penalty box. The ball fell to O'Donnell who took full advantage to cut in and slam a low full blooded twelve yard drive past Richmond.

But Town can have few complaints about the second goal. Marine won a right wing corner which was played in by left back Wayne McDermott and O'DONNELL was left completely unmarked six yards out to volley home.

Hall was then booked for a foul on Lee Parle, his third indiscretion of the game, before Parle himself joined him in the notebook for pulling back Jackson-Donnelly, who was finding it difficult to make the positive impact he had on the game in his debut at Lincoln.

Curtis Shaw replaced Pidcock at the interval with Jackson-Donnelly being pushed further forward into a central striking position. Matlock made a more promising start to the new half with Hall driving yards wide and then forcing goalkeeper Andy Banks to his first meaningful save as his twenty yard strike was held by the former Fleetwood stopper. Then the ball was played intelligently along the edge of the Marine penalty box from left to right but Steve Circuit sliced firstb time handsomely high and wide.

But Matlock got themselves semingly back into contention thanks to a Carsonesque error by Banks on 62 minutes. Webster's low twenty yarder skidded along the greasy surface and Banks was left red faced as the ball went through him and squirmed over the line.

Could Matlock make hay from this unexpected bonus? The answer was an emphatic no, for virtually straight from the restart, they switched off and from a quick and incisive break down the right, O'DONNELL completed his hat trick, and then the writing was on the wall for Matlock.

Marine continued to play the ball around with confidence and authority and Richmond produced fine saves from both McDermott and substitute Ian Latham as they looked to stretch their lead.

But Matlock didn't fold and their last throw of the dice came with eight minutes remaining as Williams replaced Hall in a bid to add some faggression to the forward line. James Kinsler replaced skipper Lukic at the same time.

Williams put himself about but really it was too late to unsettle the Marine rearguard who in essence had enjoyed a scare free afternoon, save for Webster's pot shot. But with a minute of the statutory ninety left, Paul Riley stormed forward deep into the Mariners penalty box and an injudicious tackle from Farley sent him crashing to the turf. A stonewall penalty if there ever wwas one, which was confidently put away by SHAW, low into the corner past Banks' right hand.

Now there was faint hope of an unexpected point if Matlock could launch the ball forward again, but they never got another chance to do so as Marine retained possession with consumate ease. Farley became the third player to be cautioned for wasting time taking a free kick to burn up valuable seconds.

The three points rightly went to the visitors who had won at a canter despite the narrow margin of victory. They had earned a quick league double following a 3-1 success a fortnight earlier at the Arriva Stadium. Clearly they will be in the play off slots again this season. Matlock could join them if they can get a clean bill of health in their squad and a couple of notable additions to their ranks.

To be competing at the right end of the league table they will need the backing of the Matlock public. Only 191 bothered to show up for a sixth versus fifth clash on Saturday. That is just not good enough.

MATLOCK TOWN: Richmond, Laight, Riley, Ashley, Circuit, Lukic (Kinsler 82), Webster, Jackson-Donnelly, Pidcock (Shaw 46), Hall (Williams 82), Caudwell.