Matlock preserved their 100% home record but left it late. The match was entering the first minute of stoppage time when STEVE TAYLOR was left unattended eight yards out to power in a trademark bullet centre forward's header past the crestfallen Ferriby goalkeeper Antoni Pecora. On the balance of the play, Matlock deserved that late break but lowly Ferriby certainly made life difficult for the Gladiators, having led for three quarters of the contest through a Paul Foot goal in the 9th minute.

It took until the 75th minute for Steve Warne to level for the Gladiators. Matlock kept the ten which had played for most of the second half against Worksop with Dave McNicholas partnering James Lukic at the heart of the defence and Glenn Kirkwood having to be content with a place on the bench. Steve Circuit returned to the midfield. The visitors were without the suspended and prolific marksman Gary Bradshaw, so centre back Foot was pushed forward to play alongside the experienced Andy Hayward. Ferriby won the first corner which was easily caught by Andy Richmond before Matlock responded with Neil Ashley making ground on the right with his cross being nodded away from the oncoming Steve Taylor by Neil Allison.

Danny Ryan looked a threat on the left for the visitors and it was from his cross that they snatched the lead. FOOT rose to crash a powerful header over Richmond to give them a much needed boost and put the Gladiators on the back foot. Jamie Waltham climbed all over Taylor to concede a free kick thirty yards out and Pecora had to be alert to move to his right to claw away Ashley's shot for an unproductive corner. Then another Ashley free kick was well off target before Craig Hall's shot from distance ended up in the middle of the cricket pitch behind Richmond's goal as it was always rising.

Matlock were struggling to make much impression against an uncompromising United back line but there was promise on 26 minutes when Webster and Barraclough linked sweetly on the left for the latter to unleash a powerful shot which was well fielded by Pecora. Lukic rose to head a 28th minute corner high and wide before the skipper in tandem with Taylor caused havoc in the United penalty box, and Warne came through to sidefoot narrowly wide from twelve yards. Matlock maintained the pressure until the interval as a Ryan Davis effort was deflected for a corner and penalty appeals were rejected when Hall charged down a Taylor cross.

Matlock really needed to increase theb tempo after the break and while it was not vintage stuff, they dominated. Ferriby were guilty of dropping deeper and deeper, inviting the pressure on themselves. Richmond did not have a save to make after half time. A tactical switch by the Gladiators saw Webster back on his more favoured right flank with Warne moving to the left. Ferriby received a blow as Ryan had to be replaced by Ben Morley just two minutes after the restart and this negated their previous promise. Steve Circuit's long ranger earned a corner before Ferriby were twice fortunate not to concede own goals as an Allison header dropped a couple of feet wide and Pecora had to move smartly to keep out Andy Thompson's knock back.

There was a brief scare for Matlock as Davis did well to cut out a Foot cross destined for Hayward, but the game was now almost exclusively in the visitors half. Ashley did well to find Barraclough to the right of the penalty box whose flick was fractionally over the bar. A thirty yard volley by Circuit flashed a yard wide and Barraclough then found room in the box but could only shoot weakly at Pecora. But the goal that had been coming arrived when Barraclough helped on a Webster cross and WARNE charged through to steer a fine finish past Pecora.

Matlock's tails were up and Ferriby held on grimly. Barraclough went down in the box only for his claims of a foul to fall on deaf ears. When Warne found Taylor he volleyed a difficult opportunity over the bar before Taylor was the hero with that late, late, winner. Ferriby will feel hard done to, but in many ways they were their own worst enemies. Matlock deserve credit for achieving the right result, in spite of not playing well, but they got the three points and that's all that matters.

MATLOCK TOWN: Richmond, Laight, Davis, Circuit, McNicholas, Lukic, Webster, Warne, Taylor, Barraclough, Ashley. Subs not used: Kirkwood, Pidcock, Goff.
REFEREE: R W Martin (Sheffield) ATTENDANCE: 284 STAR MAN: Steve Taylor.