Matlock Town 0 Blackburn Rovers 0
A streaker did his best to upstage the departing James Lukic on his testimonial night but while Lukic again stood out as he has done in the past ten years at Matlock, the bare bottomed performer ran off with his tail between his legs.
Given a guard of honour by both teams as he entered the arena, Lukic went on to again give a traditional commanding performance before leaving the arena to rapturous applause with five minutes left.
And the now former Gladiators skipper might have made it an even more memorable final game as he leapt to reach Dene Cropper's flick following a corner floated in by the impressive triallist, former Barnsley winger Luke Federenko.
Blackburn were on the back foot in the opening exchanges and Simon Barraclough met a Ruben Wiggins Thomas cross with a crisp strike that seared narrowly off target before Steve Warne fired in a shot which beat Rovers custodian Gunnar Neilson but also a post.
But it was the Premiership side's second string who came closest as Ryan Laight was ideally placed to hook Aaron Doran's effort off the line. Blackburn threatened again when Marcus Marshall headed weakly wide at the near post after winger Andy Howarth had beaten Ryan Davis on the left, but it was Matlock who finished the half on top with Barraclough trying his luck from fully thirty five yards but his blast fell a couple of yards wide. Cropper, who had made that chance soon manufactured another opportunity for his tiny striking partner who again shot past Neilson's post.
It was Lukic's wish that as many players as possible who had been with him at Causeway Lane would get a taste of the action so eight changes were made to the Gladiators line up at the interval with just Andy Richmond, Davis and the man himself staying on.
At last Blackburn began to dominate but they looked toothless where it mattered as the chances at both ends dried up during this spell.
On came Dad's Army for the last twenty minutes. Everyone expected the Rovers youngsters now to take command but conversely it was the veterans who looked the more likely winners. Current Gladiators joint managers Phil Brown and Gareth Williams combined with Brown shooting tamely at Neilsen.
Then after the miscreant had bared all, Williams floated a free kick too high and as Rovers held on, replacement goalkeeper Andreas Arestidou had to swiftly backpedal to fingertip a trademark curling Nick Tilly twenty yarder over the bar. At the death Steve Taylor looked to have been pulled back inside the area but referee Turner ruled that the offence was marginally outside, and the free kick came to nothing.
To the last, Lukic had been impeccable. Whoever takes his place in the Gladiators line up has a tough act to follow.
MATLOCK TOW starting eleven:
Richmond, Davis, Featherstone, King, Laight, Lukic, Wiggins-Thomas, Warne, Cropper, Barraclough, Federenko.
46-70 minutes: Richmond, Fearon, Dan Williams, Davis, Lukic, Webster, Thorpe, Harrison, Benger, Jake Williams, Pidcock.
Finishing eleven: Tye, McNicholas, R Taylor, Circuit, Kirkwood, Lukic (Davis 85), Tilly, White, S Taylor, Gareth Williams, Brown.
REFEREE: Glenn Turner (Bolsover) ATT: 487 STAR MAN: James Lukic
