Matlock edged nervously through Tuesday night's FA Trophy replay to earn a home tie with Gateshead thanks to a magnificent finish from Simon Barraclough two minutes from the end of the first period of extra time.

But up until then they had struggled to break down a stubborn Daniels side who had been reduced to ten men since the 37th minute when defender Adam Jones departed for an early bath following two yelloow cards in quick succession.

 And, had Andy Richmond not pulled off a top drawer save from Martin Wormall seconds before the statutory ninety minute mark, it would have been a different story.

Again Matlock were forced into changes with Matty Caudwell unavailable for domestic reasons, Glenn Kirkwood came into the midfield alongside Neil Ashley, new recruit Curtis Shaw and Gary Webster with Paul Riley starting in an advanced position on the left flank supporting strikers Simon Barraclough and Laurence Hall. There was a three man defence of Rytan Laight, Ryan Davis and James Lukic protecting Andy Richmond.

Stamford shaded the early scrappy exchanges with a tame Steve Julian effort from a 4th minute corner bobbling harmlessly wide before striker Martin Wormall was closer with a well struck drive from the edge of the box after he had shrugged off both Shaw and Kirkwood.

Matlock then made a tactical change with Kirkwood dropping to centre half, Davis switching to right midfield and Webster moving inside. But Matlock were giving the ball away cheaply and apart from when goalkeeper Chris Sanna flapped at a 16th minute free kick from Riley, there were no alarms for the visitors until Lukic scooped an Ashley set piece too high ten minutes later.

Jones' problems began when he went in late on Barraclough in the 28th minute to collect his first booking and his night finished early for a petulant trip on the same player. In between Jones' misdeamenours, Richmond had blocked well from Robbie Maddox before Davis flung himself at the follow up from Steve Towers to concede a corner.

Richmond gathered a Leon Mettam header before in one of a number of promising breaks down the right by Davis, the former Sheffield Wednesday and Worksop man saw his delightful low cross narrowly elude the onrushing Barraclough at the back post.

Stamford may even have been further punished for when Jones was taking the lonely walk to the dressing room. Scott Taylor foolishly headbutted Hall, but luckily for the Stamford defender, neither referee Grundy nor his assistants noticed his indiscretion. Hall soon took his own retribution in an encounter which was becoming feisty and was booked.

The interval did nothing to calm tempers as within ten seconds, Taylor floored Hall with a terrible challenge and he too was rightly shown a yellow card.

 Some composure was desperately needed and Neil Ashley was doing his level best to provide it with an assured display in the Gladiators engine room. A succession of passes to the wings found their target and when he found Barraclough in the 63rd minute, the tiny striker wasted the chance of a pop at goal, instead feeding Webster whose shot had its sting diminished by a deflection.

Now it was all Matlock, but time and time again moves petered out thanks to a wayward final ball or some poor decision making.Davis powered a ten yard shot wide and Laight got little power in a header and the save from Sanna was just routine. Riley pushed his shot inches wide after combining well with Barraclough before right at the end of normal time, Richmond avoided his team mates from having red faces as he somehow clawed away Wormall's low strike which looked as if it might creep in by his left hand post.

 That had been the best attempt, and probably tghe only worthy one on target thus far.

 Extra time began with the frost biting into the surface and Matlock asking most of the questions.

 A speculative cross from Riley skimmed a defender to drop within a whisker of the back post and Laight missed his kick as he met a Davis centre. As the tension and frustration for the home fans mounted, Barraclough fired wide before settling the tie with a strike completely alien to what had been witnessed so far.

Lukic won possession on the edge of his own penalty box and set Webster racing forward through the middle. The Wirksworth man found BARRACLOUGH out on the left and this time the striker knew precisely what was needed as he chipped a sublime effort over Sanna into the far corner.

In the next minute Hall nearly made it two, wriggling away from Julian only to see Sanna beat aside his power packed blast.

 For the rest of the game, Matlock seemed content to keep possession and when they lost it, fight like trojans to regain it. Webster was a shining example in this regard, showing just how he is one of the most energetic players in the league.

Cropper was a bootlace away from converting a Hall cross but one goal proved to be enough to warm spirits in the home camp on a bitterly cold night.

 MATLOCK TOWN:Richmond,, Laight, Riley, Ashley, Davis, Lukic, Webster, Shaw, (Cropper 82) Hall, Barraclough, Kirkwood (McNicholas 89). Other subs: Pidcock, Kinsler, M Taylor. REFEREE: C Grundy (Sheffield) ATTENDANCE: 211 STAR MAN: Neil Ashley.