Matlock suffered their first defeat of pre-season but it was far from a bad night as they put in another good shift against Chesterfield in the annual Banner Jones Cup encounter
Mark Atkins’ side had opened up a two-goal lead by half-time only for Chesterfield boss John Sheridan to throw on his first-teamers and recover the game.
But it was the Gladiators who came out with plenty of credit and even when they came up against seasoned professionals they looked more than up for it and enjoyed plenty of positive moments.
They saw an early James Lukic volley ruled out for a foul in the build-up but didn’t have to wait long before opening the scoring with just nine minutes on the clock.
Danny Wood’s ball in from the right wasn’t dealt with by the Chesterfield defence it fell to Ben Algar, whose low drive from the edge of the box took a deflection on the way past Shane Redmond but it was certainly the former Spireite’s goal.
Chesterfield’s side contained some unfamiliar names but the Matlock line-up was one of strength with Mark Haran back at centre-half for his first friendly, meaning Adam Yates moved to right-back, while Scott Brough returned on the left of the defence. Further forward, Wood and Algar patrolled wide areas with Steve Warne and Liam King in the middle while James Knowles again partnered Ross Hannah up top.
Knowles, fresh from a stunner against Teversal at the weekend, once more looked sharp in the number nine shirt, going close more than once.
Matlock did eventually double their lead four minutes from half-time with a goal fit to grace any game.
Wood powered through midfield and slipped the ball wide for Hannah to chip in an inviting cross from the right that Knowles met with a fine glancing header.
But nine changes at the interval paid dividends for Chesterfield and after Matlock failed to heed a warning following a quick corner, the visitors were back in it with 50 on the clock.
Matlock didn’t clear their lines from a second flag-kick and the ball found its way out to Dwayne Mattis, who found the bottom corner with a placed effort from 20 yards.
A set-piece at the other end might have restored the Gladiators’ two-goal lead but the unmarked Haran headed Algar’s delivery straight at Tommy Lee and just after the hour Chesterfield were level.
Mattis was again the scorer, once more following a quick free-kick, though this time his shot took at least one deflection to leave Adam Sollitt helpless.
The introduction of Lee Featherstone and Kris Whitcombe in place of Haran and Algar saw Matlock re-shuffle, and there was another change on 68 as Jason Hardy replaced Wood. But two minutes later the visitors effectively wrapped the game up through substitute Danny Whitaker, who powered his shot home from the edge of the box.
Not that Matlock were deterred from their task and they continued to pass the ball around well while snapping into their tackles, showing a continuation of the form they have displayed in their two friendlies so far.
Sollitt’s save from Mattis’s penalty looked to be the end of the action but there was time for one more effort, although Lukic’s header from Darren Cartwright’s corner sailed wide.
The result didn’t go Matlock’s way but the signs continue to be positive that Atkins and his team can be optimistic about the forthcoming campaign.
Matlock: Sollitt, Yates, Brough, King (Cartwright 73), Haran (Featherstone 65), Lukic, Wood (Hardy 68), Warne, Knowles, Hannah, Algar (Whitcombe 65).
Other subs: Buxton, Wain, Wiggins-Thomas, Jenkins, Marson, Wallace.
Chesterfield: Redmond (Lee HT), Hunt, Timmons (Morris HT), Ford, Gray (Page HT), Niven (Talbot HT), Clay (Mattis HT), Adcock (Allott HT), Darikwa (Whitaker HT), Bowery (Davies HT), Boden (Lester HT).
Attendance: 942. Star Man: Adam Yates
