Goals either side of the interval put Matlock in the driving seat to record a much needed and deserved home victory.
Steve Warne headed the first after a dour opening half in the 44th minute and Gareth Davies quickly doubled the lead three minutes into the second period. A fine Dene Cropper header put the icing on a tasty Matlock cake in the 76th minute.
And they had to do it without the services of top scorer Ross Hannah whose groin injury had flared up again. Matlock had sensibly kept his injury quiet all week, so as not to give Marine any sort of boost ahead of a vitally important game. The Gladiators began with Ben Algar partnering Nathan Benger in attack, Benger's inclusion being the only change from the line up which had beaten Cambridge City in the FA Trophy seven days earlier.
Marine started slightly the better winning a corner on 5 minutes, the ball eventually falling to their bright young hope, striker Jamie Rainford whose shot deflected gently through to Adam Sollitt.
But defences were generally on top although Sollitt was extended on 12 minutes when he tipped a well struck Stephen Brown shot over the bar. Nine minutes later full back Joe Fowler cut in from the left only to scoop a disappointing effort too high and behind the goal.
It was 22 minutes before Matlock tested visiting custodian Tim Dittmer as Adam Yates drove forward from full back to fire in a fierce shot which unfortunately for the hosts was straight at Dittmer.
Goalscoring chances were few and far between at this stage although on 32 minutes Liam King fired wide from the edge of the box following a partially cleared free kick. Two minutes later there was a scare for Matlock when Sollitt was left winded by a robust challenge from a free kick and Lukic had to retreat to the goal line to clear Rainford's goalbound strike.
A wise move by Matlock when Algar and Danny Wood swapped roles paid dividends when the hosts took the lead with an outstanding goal. Algar collected a throw wide on the left to advance and deliver an inch perfect cross to the onrushing WARNE who buried a thumping header into the top corner beyond Dittmer's despairing right hand.
Matlock had defended well and they had to again just after the goal when Lee Featherstone made a timely and important clearance but the ball still fell to Steve Hussey who drove narrowly wide.
Warne's strike had obviously lifted Matlock's spirits and they made it a double whammy for the Merseysiders by doubling their lead soon after the resumption.
Dittmer picked up a back pass from defender Michael Jackson to give Matlock a free kick some ten yards out. Athough his ionitial strike was charged down, DAVIES was alert to lash in the loose ball and now Matlock were cruising. Davies led an elaborate celebration after scoring as he had done at Cambridge in the previous game.
Referee Stuart Richardson had done well to spot the back pass for the second goal but together with his assistants was at fault with an over long delay which led to Davies and Rainford being booked following the striker's late lunge at Liam King. A wait approaching four minutes to sort the clash was unacceptable.
Soon afterwards came Marine's one shot at goal in the second half as Liam Rushton's cross from the left was headed away but Brown was following in to crash a fierce cross drive wide of the far post.
Cropper replaced the tiring Benger and immediately made an impact, cleverly setting up Warne who could not quite meet his neat lay off. But on 76 minutes CROPPER made the game safe as Wood burst down the right to cross invitingly for the burly striker to flick a superb header past Dittmer, the ball finding the net like a bullet.
Cropper came close to making it the same scoreline as at Causeway Lane last season, heading narrowly wide at the near post late on.
After a solid and unspectacular start Matlock finished as easy winners to leap out of the relegation places to 15th spot. They were strong at the back to record a third successive clean sheet. They are now also unbeaten in five league and cup games. The midfield functioned as an efficient unit with Davies and Warne outstanding and the switch of Algar and Wood made Matlock a more potent threat.
All in all a good afternoon's work.
MATLOCK TOWN: Sollitt, Yates, Featherstone, King, Sturdy, Lukic, Davies, Warne, Benger (Cropper 71)< Algar, Wood (Cartwright 77) Other subs: Haran, Buxton.
REFEREE: S Richardson--Mansfield. ATTENDANCE: 314. STAR MAN: Gareth Davies.
