Plucky Hucknall did their level best to prevent Matlock from making progress in the FA Cup at the Reynolds Stadium on Saturday, but ultimately two second half goals meant that the Gladiators deservedly took their place in the next round.
Ben Algar, with a fine individual effort, broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute and Ian Holmes finished the Evo-Stik NPL First Division South visitors off with a calmly taken second with two minutes remaining.
Hucknall, now having amateur status, being unable to pay their players as they fight to settle a tax debt, provided a potential banana skin for Matlock, but the Gladiators stuck manfully to their task against a side which played with spirit, but seldom troubled the home defence.
Wayne Diuk, who had a short spell with the hosts back in 2006/07, marshalled the Hucknall defence well, while former Yellows in the Gladiators squad were striker TJ Nightingale and substitute Lee Whittington.
Attacking the Town End on a bright but showery afternoon, Matlock soon had the visitors on the back foot and should have been in front on 8 minutes. Great approach play from Micky Harcourt and Liam King provided Holmes with a one on one duel with goalkeeper James Lindley, but Holmes disappointingly screwed his shot wide.
Soon afterwards Nightingale did well to rob James Jepson and Harcourt then found Kris Bowler whose volley was deflected over. A Chris Bettney free kick was headed back to the winger who fired a whisker too high. A superbly timed challenge by Diuk on Nightingale then averted any further threat to the visitors' goal.
As the half went on frustration looked as if it might creep in for the Gladiators. Holmes tried his luck from long range, a first attempt being charged down before the rebound was rattled wide. A purposeful break forward by Algar ended with a clipped effort that narrowly beat the back post.
It took Hucknall 44 minutes to have a shy at the Matlock goal, Jon Kennedy barely having to move to hold a soft effort from Aidan Brady.
Bowler drove across the face of goal just two minutes after the restart before a touch of magic from ALGAR put the hosts in front. Collecting the ball just inside the Hucknall half, he raced past several challenges before keeping his composure to shoot comfortably past Lindley. It was a memorable goal and was just what was needed from the Gladiators' perspective.
Out of the blue, Hucknall's Grant Ryan planted a header against the bar from a Nathan Watson cross just two minutes after the goal. Now being behind, Hucknall had to come out and be more adventurous. They certainly had more possession than they had enjoyed previously, this being in part to Matlock sitting back, but they never seriously suggested that they would save themselves.
Ryan had another header which was too high, but the better opportunities were at the other end.
Lindley did well to parry a strike from Gareth Davies who then pushed away a Bowler effort. A dribble down the right flank from Harcourt ended with a looping cross which Lindley backpedalled to tip over the bar.
With eight minutes left, Holmes galloped down the right, his low centre narrowly eluding substitute Whittington and Bowler stretched to slice behind. Two minutes later Lindley again kept Hucknall's hopes alive with a flying save to push over a Holmes header. A cracking twenty five yarder from Harcourt beat Lindley all ends up but crashed off the bar before Lindley blocked a Holmes effort.
But the overworked goalkeeper had no chance when substitute James Knowles won the ball well on the half way line to send HOLMES clear to clinically fire in the tie clinching second goal.
It wasn't spectacular, but it was job done as far as Matlock were concerned, they would have settled for this outcome beforehand.
MATLOCK TOWN: Jon Kennedy, Micky Harcourt, Ben Algar, Liam King, Adam Yates, James Lukic, Chris Bettney (James Knowles 64), Tyeisse Nightingale (Lee Whittington 78), Ian Holmes, Kris Bowler (Lee Featherstone 88), Gareth Davies. Other sub: Nick Buxton
REFEREE: D Lawrence-Barnsley ATTENDANCE: 356 STAR MAN: Ben Algar
