Ossett committed a smash and grab raid to inflict the Gladiators first home defeat of the campaign in a disappointing clash at the Geoquip Stadium on Saturday.

The match should have been won for Matlock with the award of a 62nd minute penalty. Despair at Ryan Laight's miss was immediately compounded as Ossett broke to score the decisive goal through CARL FOTHERGILL;

 Matlock recalled Steve Circuit and Matty Caudwell to their starting line up with Glenn Kirkwood and Curtis Shaw warming the bench with the surprise addition of Steve Taylor, who reported fit after his back complaint.

 The game got under way under grey skies and light drizzle and the pattern of Matlock pressure against a stubborn Ossett defence soon emerged. The hosts won two early corners but found Ossett goalkeeper Piotr Skiba dominant in the six yard box.

Clear chances were few and far between as a lot of promising Gladiators moves broke down with a poor final pass. Ossett seemed content to soak up the pressure and had come for a point as they lacked ambition. Ossett did the ugly things well with no nonsense defending, particularly from Danny Meadowcroft who was not afraid to clear into Hall Leys Park when it ws required.

When they did eventually get forward, the offside flag stopped them in their tracks as Andy Richmond touched a Fothergill header over the bar. It was good work by Richmond who would not have realised that the assistant had flagged.

But Matlock were enjoying the lion's share of the play and they needed to take an excellent 39th minute chance which came their way. Gary Webster's low ball in from the right found skipper James Lukic unmarked at the back post, but Lukic sliced wide with only Skiba to beat.

Even then Matlock might have been punished for the miss as Richmond did well to block from Andrew Culshaw with his knees, but half time arrived with the scoresheet rightly and predictably blank.

That might have changed three minutes after the resumption when Webster's cross by passed Laurence Hall to fall for Caudwell whose drive was well struck, but straight at Skiba.

Meadowcroft was booked for a crude 51st minute challenge on Hall and soon afterwards Caudwell darted in at the near post to head a Lukic cross wide.

It seemed as if Matlock had found a way through on 62 minutes when O'Brien stuck out a hand as Matlock attacked down the left. The spot kick was given and O'Brien joined Meadowcroft on a yellow card. 

Laight, with a 100% record from the spot while at Barnsley, could not continue his exemplary record with the Gladiators as his sidefooted shot was superbly saved by Skiba right on the goal line.

Matlock then lost concentration as Ossett broke at speed. Richmond touched an O'Brien shot on to the woodwork and when the ball was played back in, FOTHERGILL scored from close range to give Ossett an undeserved lead they would not relinquish.

Steve Taylor's introduction brought more urgency into the Gladiators play and Matlock were unlucky not to level when an acrobatic volley from Barraclough in the 71st minute dropped inches wide.

But Matlock did not test Skiba in the closing stages. Laight had an effort deflected harmlessly wide, Hall headed tamely at Skiba and Ossett full back Lee Stratford hacked away a Webster cros for a corner under pressure from Hall and Laight.

But it was a case of plenty of effort but little quality from the Gladiators who have lost seven of last sesson's play off qualifying squad. It showed, but even so, they should have had enough in their locker to dispose of a mediocre Ossett side, who committed daylight robbery to earn their win.

MATLOCK TOWN: Richmond, Laight, Riley, Ashley, Davis (Kirkwood 46), Lukic, Webster, Circuit (S Taylor 69), Hall, Barraclough, Caudwell. Other sub: Shaw.

REFEREE: S M HUtchinson (Bingham) ATTENDANCE: 302 STAR MAN: James Lukic.