A five star showing from each and every player gave Matlock a superb victory as they hammered top of the table Ashton at Causeway Lane last Saturday.
The Robins arrived strangely with a negative goal difference, and it was perhaps easy to see why. They had already had two bad away days at Boston and North Ferriby, losing 3-0 and 4-0 respectively, but this must have been their worst.
But take nothing away from Matlock who were superior in every department in what was their best home display in recent years.
The Gladiators made two changes from the team which beat Marine 3-0 seven days earlier. The forward partnership was Dene Cropper and Ross Hannah, coming in for Nathan Benger and the unfit Ben Algar. There was no place in the squad for the recently signed Stef Frost.
Matlock were immediately on the attack and when Gareth Johnson let a low cross under his studs, Danny Wood was left with a clear chance which he pulled disappointingly wide.Wood limped off soon afterwards and young Darren Cartwright added extra width and pace down the left in a performance that would give his chances of a regular spot a huge boost,
The Gladiators continued to knock on the Robins' defence door and it seemed to be just a matter of time before they made the breakthrough. That came in the 25th minute thanks to a terrible error from goalkeeper Terry Smith who endured an afternoon to quickly forget.
Smith came out to attempt to catch a free kick hoisted in from the right, but spilled the ball straight to SIMON STURDY who kept his cool to calmy stroke the ball home from twelve yards.
And Smith has to shoulder some of the blame for Matlock doubling their lead just five minutes later. HANNAH cut in from the left leaving the Ashton defenders trailing in his wake before shooting with his unfavoured right foot from twenty yards. There was only average venom in his daisycutter but it left Smith rooted to the spot as it crept just inside his right hand post.
Iain Howard on the left flank, looked to be Ashton's main hope of a recovery, but it was never really on as Howard had little or no support from his colleagues. Adam Sollitt probably won't have an easier game this season as he didn't have a serious shot to save all afternoon. The visitors really needed to keep the deficit down to two by the interval but Matlock ensured they would start the second half in a virtually unassailable position by netting again in the 41st minute.
Cartwright easily beat full back Alex Frost on the left before delivering a peach of a centre which was meat and drink for CROPPER who headed firmly over Smith.
Matlock went off to huge applause at half time but it was important that they didn't let the high standards set in the opening half slip.There was no chance of that.
In a thoroughly professional performance, Matlock were soon ripping holes in the Ashton defence again and within nine minutes had made it 4-0 thanks to a Hannah special.
Matlock's leading marksman was probably the only person in the ground who had realised that his exocet of a thirty yarder had found the target. There was no thought of his groin injury as he wheeled away in celebration which was the signal for the cheers to erupt on the terraces. It was an outstanding strike which may have hit the back stantion as it bounced out again. Now it was a matter of damage limitation for Ashton, who three minutes earlier, had made a triple substitution in what proved to be a vain bid to stem the tidal wave of pressure towards their goal.
Straight after scoring, Hannah left the field to tumultuous applause, and if Ashton thought that they would find life easier with Nathan Benger replacing him, they were in for a nasty shock.
Benger never gave the Ashton defence a moment's peace, and along with Cropper, continued to give theur opponents a torrid time. Benger was unlucky when a twenty five yarder beat Smith comprehensively before rattling the bar, but BENGER did get on the scoresheet with thirteen minutes left. Smith again had a rush of blood, charging out to the edge of his area as Steve Warne broke down the right. Warne easily skipped past him before crossing accurately for the substitute to score with a fine header.
Performances like this are there to be enjoyed, the Town fans certainly did as they mocked the table toppers with chants of "Top Of The League You're Having a Laugh".
Manager Mark Atkins said afterwards that Matlock could have won by more as chances to totally embarrass Ashton went begging. Keeping another clean sheet, their fourth on the trot, was also very pleasing, and the sight of team captain James Lukic urging on his players at 5-0 up right at the death was another encouraging feature.
Choosing a Matlock man of the match is a thankless and almost impossible task as everyone contributed to a scintillating victory, which turned into a rout. The defence was magnificent as Ashton never got a look in, the midfield was dominant and Matlock looked full of goals in attack.
If there was one black mark, it was the unnecessary caution picked up by Gareth Davies in stoppage time for a foul he did not really need to commit, while Ashton's Ben Smith was very fortunate just to receive a yellow card for a terrible challenge on Cartwright. Thankfully the youngster saw the challenge coming and was able to take some evasive action. He actually did his assailant a favour by immediately getting to his feet. Benger was the victim of a lunge from behind, not given as a foul by referee Matt Walsh, who having been a player in the UniBond League himself with Alfreton and Worksop, generally displayed a calm and common sense approach in a good display.
It was a fourth successive victory in all competitions for the Gladiators, three of those in the league with eleven goals scored and none conceded, a run which now sees them in 13th spot having been second bottom towards the end of October.
MATLOCK TOWN: Sollitt, Yates, Featherstone, King, Sturdy, Lukic, Davies, Warne (Brough 78), Cropper, Hannah (Benger 55), Wood (Cartwright 13) Other subs: Haran, Buxton.
REFEREE: M Walsh--Sheffield ATTENDANCE: 295 STAR MAN: The team.
