It needed an extra time cracker from Dene Cropper to send Matlock unconvincingly through to the quarter finals of the Derbyshire Senior Cup on Tuesday night.
UniBond First Division South newcomers Mickleover arrived at Causeway Lane looking to cause an upset. They didn't succeed but they made life for Matlock distinctly uncomfortable at times.
This was very much of After The Lord Mayor's Show for Matlock who initially left Simon Sturdy. Lee Featherstone and Ross Hannah out of their side, but then had to withdraw James Lukic during the warm up with a sore back.
Mark Haran and Adam Yates perated in central defence with Scott Brough and now Featherstone as the full backs. Stef Frost was given his first start since returning to the club alongside Cropper up front. Nathan Benger was again one of the substitutes alongside new signing Danwell Francis and under 19 star Danny Gregory.
Darren Cartwright, in his first competitive senior start lifted a 5th minute cross from Liam King too high in a scrappy opening on a soggy surface but the first real chance fell to the visitors nine minutes later as Karl Ashton latched on to a Liam Sowter through pass down the right but glided a cross shot beyond the far post.
Matlock's response waqs instant as Steve Warne burst in from the right but delayed in pulling the trigger allowing goalkeeper Chris Dodley to save relatively comfortably. Then a Frost effort was scrambled behind and when Cropper released Warne to force a corner, Haran's header was knocked clear. Another Haran header from a free kick was tipped over by Dodsley who on 32 minutes gift wrapped Matlock the lead.
Dodsley, sweeping up on the edge of his penalty box, completely missed his kit and FROST could not believe his luck as he shot gleefully and gratefully into an empty net. Soon afterwards Dodsley was in a similar position and had to head away but Matlock could not profit with the goalkeeper out of position. The half ended with Matlock on top with Cartwright heading at Dodsley before a neat interchange between King and Warne forced another corner. Cropper met it but saw his header blocked.
Sports shocked Matlock with an equaliser four minutes after the restart, the first goal conceded by Matlock in 389 minutes of football. Brough lost possession deep in the Sports half, the visitors quickly sending Alex Steadman racing down the left who fed substitute KIERAN O'Connell on the edge of the box. Town failed to close him down as he found the target off the underside of the bar.
The leveller visibly lifted the underdogs who quickly won a free kick when Cropper leant on Ashton, but Martin drove disappointingly into the defensive wall. Then a free kick on the right at the other end was swung in by Davies for Haran to head back across goal only for Cartwright to nod wide. Then Frost sliced off target after Cartwright crossed low from the left flank before an inviting Featherstone cross was met by Warne whose first time volley from a difficult opportunity flashed over.
Sports fought back for Steadman to have a shot well blocked in the Gladiators eighteen yard box, and at this point the visitors were having more of the play without finding an end product.
Referee Fletcher then tooki centre stage, firstly somewhat harshly dismissing Sam Carter on 81 minutes for what he classed as a stamp on Benger. Really it was nothing more than an impudent flick. The sending off was doubly costly for Adam Yates' careless back pass was collected by Steadman who was clear on goal when the incident occurred.
Then after King had driven yards too high, Mark Strzyzewski was booked for a foul on Cropper, before the victim also saw yellow for dissent. Dodsley held a Cropper header before Mr. Fletcher had his red card out again. This time though there was no argument as Martin forced himself aggressively on Featherstone who was booked for his part in the conflict which had players from both sides involved. With three minutes of the statutory ninety left, could Matlock find a decider?
Although a Cropper heaqder was on target from a great Featherstone cross, it also dropped too high, so the players had an unwelcome extra thirty minutes on a now heavy pitch.
Francis replaced Cartwright as now surely Matlock would ease home. King drove into the sidenetting before Warne tried to steamroller his way through, but caught Lee Barrow late and he was another in Mr Fletcher's black book and a recipient of a yellow card. Haran limped off to give Gregory his first team bow.
But Matlock's frustrations eased slightly when CROPPER turned smartly some twenty yards out and all in one movement, cracked in a memorable volley past Dodsley's left shoulder for a goal his absent strike partner Ross Hannah would have been proud of.
But it was far from plain sailing for Matlock who still could not stamp their authority on the game. Sports drove forward but were hampered by a faulty final pass or wayward shot, as had been the case earlier.
Francis might have won a penalty when he was nudged by Barrow before the final whistle was met more with cheers of relief that Matlock had edged through and had not been undone by nine men.
As the saying goes though, "a win's a win", Matlock are safely through a tricky tie, and its another match unbeaten.
MATLOCK TOWN: Sollitt, Yates, Brough, King, Haran (Gregory 98), Featherstone, Davies, Warne, Cropper, Frost (Benger 68), Cartwright (Francis 91) Other sub: Buxton.
REFEREE: R Fletcher--Melbourne ATTENDANCE: 199 STAR MAN: Dene Cropper.
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