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Having watched their side hammered on New Years Day at Buxton in their last outing, Matlock Town supporters and joint bosses Gareth Williams and Phil Brown will be looking for a positive response from their squad as they face another away derby at Worksop on Saturday.

The 5-1 defeat at the Silverlands represented the Gladiators worst defeat and performance under Williams and Brown's stewardship and Brown says that everyone is determined to put things right at Sandy Lane.

For Matlock is the chance to record their second league double of the campaign, having comfortably beaten the Tigers 3-0 at the Geoquip Stadium in September, plus the opportunity to end a two month winless run since their 2-0 victory at Lincoln United stretching over five league matches plus a surprise Derbyshire Senior Cup defeat at Glapwell.

"The Buxton performance was a mile away from what we expect from the boys or from what we've had in our time here" admitted Brown. "We'll have had three good training sessions by the time Saturday comes around and in that respect we're pleased that we've had that little break for it's given us chance to work on a few things and get some players back fit again for some have been playing with injuries. Hopefully we'll have got the Buxton defeat out of our systems and go into the Worksop game fully charged. The lads are well aware of how we felt with the performance and result up at Buxton and they're just as eager to put things right as we are."

And good news for Gladiators fans is the expected return of former Worksop defender Ryan Davis after nearly three months on the sidelines with a knee injury, plus possibly striker Steve Taylor who was forced off injured in the opening minute of that win at Lincoln. On the debit side though, Paul Riley, voted by fans on the club's website as their player of the month for December, looks like missing out after banging his knee in training.

A return to winning ways at the weekend would not only restore confidence in the camp but reignite the Gladiators flagging play off hopes. Matlock have now slipped to tenth in the UniBond Premier Division table.

"The recent run is all the more disappointing as we felt we deserved more from the home games with Ilkeston and Leek which we only drew" said Brown. "The pressure builds so we want that win to kick things off for us again."

Having missed out on three potential targets last week, the search for new blood has continued at pace with Matlock in the frame for two new players to add to the recent addition of former Notts County central defender Tommy Hannigan from Alfreton Town. One is believed to be a striker and the other a defender.

"There's a possibility of two more new players coming in but as far as Saturday is concerned its more likely to be just one" Brown explained. "We're out there looking and working hard to bring people in and we were disappointed to miss out on our three targerts last week but we move on. We know what we want, the type of player and the character required but players are wanting big money these days and other managers have told me that budgets make life harder and harder to bring players in. But we're hopeful that some deal can be sorted out soon to bring in who we want."

Last weekend's scheduled home meeting with Kendal Town failed to survive an early morning pitch inspection after heavy rain with consideration being given to the Cumbrians who hade made the same long journey down to Derbyshire just a month earlier only for the elements to cause an abandonment after just twenty minutes play. A third attempt to stage the fixture will now be made on Tuesday 11 March while other rearranged games sees the home clash with Guiseley put back to Tuesday February 12 from Tuesady January 29 and the trip to Ashton, postponed on December 15, will be on Monday March 17.

Matlock's leading scorer and the UniBond Premier Division's top marksman from last season with 33 league and cup goals, Ian Holmes, hit the headlines on FA Cup Third Round day last Saturday by hitting Mansfield Town's winner in the 2-1 victory at Brighton. Holmes may now be seen live on television for the Stags 4th round home tie with Middlesbrough is to be screened live by the BBC. Meanwhile Holmes' former Matlock striking partner and close friend Tom Cahill, who joined Rotherham United in the summer, has gone out on loan to Blue Square Premier Division strugglers Altrincham, and he also found the target in the Robins 2-1 home win over Kidderminster Harriers on Tuesday night.

Meanwhile off the field, the Matlock Town Supporters Club have pulled off a real coup with the forthcoming appearance of professional darts player Wayne Mardle at the Gladiators Social Club.

Mardle, recently beaten at the semi final stage of the 2008 PDC World Championships by eventual runner up Kirk Sheppard, after overcoming Phil "The Power" Taylor in the quarter finals, will be at the Geoquip Stadium on Friday March 28. Affectionately known as "Hawaii 501" Mardle is one of the most popular players on the Professional Darts Corporation Circuit, and is well known for his high spirited on stage activity, flamboyant Hawaiian shirts and palm tree waving fans, and says his exhibitions are all based around having a fun time.

Hosting the event will be George Noble, aka The Puppy, who is a referee and master of ceremonies at major PPC darts events and both celebrities will answer questions relating to their careers and life on the darts circuit.

For local darts players and fans there is the opportunity to purchase a leg of darts against Mardle who will play sixteen legs against locals who will receive a signed photograph from the evening.

Tickets for the event are priced at £10 for the reserved seating area which will include at table bar service, with admission being £5 for all other areas of the club. To buy a leg of darts against Mardle, it will cost £25, with the price going up to £30 for those in the reserved seating area.

All money raised goes to Matlock Town Football Club and further enquiries and bookings can be made by e mail to supporters@matlocktownfc.co.uk