Missed chances cost Matlock dearly in a game they largely dominated against Blue Square North Hinckley who returned to Leicestershire with a flattering victory.
Certainly there was no repeat of the no show against Eastwood in last season's competition. On another day, the Gladiators might have won comfortably.
It was a good cup tie played in sweltering heat, nobody could complain that the players on both sides had given their all.
But the hosts had only a Nathan Joynes goal to show for their spirited display, that halving Matlock's deficit with twenty minutes left to set up a grandstand finish.
Chris Bettney returned to the starting eleven with Lee Featherstone dropping to the bench meaning Ben Algar would begin the game at left back in the one change from the team which had beaten North Ferriby three days earlier. Kris Bowler, a doubt with a knee injury, was passed fit.
Hinckley broke quickly in the opening minute from a Matlock corner for Jacob Joyce to hook a difficult chance over the bar. But then Matlock took over and on 10 minutes a twenty yard effort from Liam King skidded narrowly wide after neat approach play from T J Nightingale and Micky Harcourt.
Just two minutes later Hinckley's Chesterfield based goalkeeper Dan Haystead flew to his right to superbly tip aside a stinging shot from Chris Bettney. Haystead was often forced to race off his line to hoof clear, it looked plain to see why the Knitters had conceded a shedload of goals in their division this season.
Defender Charlie Raglan saved Hinckley from possibly going behind on 32 minutes as he did well to cut out an Ian Holmes low cross bound for the unattended T J Nightingale.From the corner James Lukic's power packed header flashed narrowly past Haystead's left hand post.
Nightingale was forced off with a nasty cut above his eye shortly afterwards which came about when he attempted to glance home a Bettney cross, Joynes coming on.
The best chance of all fell to Holmes in the 40th minute. Unmarked in the box twelve yards out from Bettney's free kick he drove tamely straight at Haystead, opting for a sidefoot finish when perhaps he should have been looking to burst the net.
As so often happens, the side under the cosh broke to steal the lead when on 44 minutes, nobody picked up ANORE GRAY from Richard Lavery's free kick.Gray sliced hisshot but fortune smiled on him and Hinckley as the ball found the bottom corner of Jon Kennedy's net.
Another sidefooted shot, this time from twenty two yards by King was comfortably stopped by Haystead who then dived bravely at Bowler's feet as the midfielder was set to pull the trigger from Ben Algar's thoughtful ball.
If Hinckley's first goal was scruffy, then their second on 55 minutes was top quality and a candidate for goal of the season. Yes, it was one of those probably one in a career goals, but it was top class with TOM BYRNE turning and volleying instantly from nearly forty yards. The ball flew over Kennedy who was not far off his line and dipped under the bar.
That goal might have killed off most sides but to their credit, Matlock kept on battling. A volley from a lesser distance than Byrne's cracker from bowler was blocked. Kennedy produced a fine diving save to deny Lloyd Kerry to keep Matlock in contention.
Then in a great spell Matlock created four chances and pulled a goal back.
A Gareth Davies free kick was headed wide by Joynes who then turned quickly to fire in a shot destined for the top corner until Haystead took off to his left to claw the ball over the bar. Holmes then lifted a shot too high after latching on to King's slide rule pass, but on 70 minutes, the pressure was rewarded as JOYNES drove under Haystead from twelve yards after being set up by Holmes.
A cheeky overhead attempt from Adam Yates was caught under the bar by Haystead, Matlock's ultimately vain attempt to save the tie being continued as Algar, now operating on the right flank, having two good efforts, one being held by Haystead, the other beating the back post by a whisker.
Gray shot weakly at Kennedy as Hinckley had a great chance to settle their nerves with seven minutes left. The Gladiators might have taken advantage when Haystead pushed out a King shot and Holmes delayed a little too much, going wide and his cross was cleared.
GRAY made amends for that earlier miss when on 89 minutes, Lavery robbed Algar on the half way line and with Matlock committed to attack, the striker was played clear to hammer the final nail in Matlock's coffin.
In a well contested tie there were just the two bookings when Lloyd Kerry's late 85th minute challenge on Featherstone brought about a furious reaction from the Gladiators substitute.
MATLOCK TOWN: Jon Kennedy, Micky Harcourt, Ben Algar, Liam King, Adam Yates, James Lukic, Chris Bettney (Lee Featherstone 64), T J Nightingale (Nathan Joynes 37), Ian Holmes, Kris Bowler (Ben Hunter 79), Gareth Davies. Other subs: James Knowles, Nick Buxton
REFEREE: M Salisbury (Preston) ATTENDANCE: 411
