The frustration for Matlock Town joint bosses Phil Brown and Gareth Williams increases as defeat in the top six clash at Marine on Saturday was followed by the Gladiators exit from the UniBond League Challenge Cup at Eastwood on Tuesday. when their injury worries reached crisis proportions.  

 

Already down to the bare bones, the defeat at Coronation Park brought them three more casualties leaving the management team to have a busy week as they try to add to their squad ahead of Saturday's league visit to Lincoln United.

 

Central defender Glenn Kirkwood, although named as a substitute for the League Cup tie, broke down with ankle ligament damage during the warm up, meaning a late call up for Williams himself. A similar injury sustained by Paul Riley during the tie means that he is likely to miss Thursday night's training session and thus, like Kirkwood, have little chance of being fit for the weekend. And definitely out at Ashby Avenue is Laurence Hall, moved back into central defence on Tuesday, with a pulled hamstring.

 

Injuries are part and parcel of football but Brown and Williams must be thinking they have killed a robin as after losing seven of last season's play off qualifying squad which also reached two cup finals, they have other injury absentees.

 

Striker and leading scorer Simon Barraclough, looks like being out for four weeks with a knee injury sustained in the 3-1 home defeat of Stamford last week. Ryan Davis, who had to come off at half time in the 1-0 home loss to Ossett Town could be out for two to three more weeks and while winger Matty Caudwell might have recovered from his hamstring strain to face Lincoln, Brown is apprehensive about chucking him back in straightaway.

 

"We're up against it injury wise at the moment and we never seem to get just the odd one" said Brown. "But the lads are working tremendously hard and our small squad is stretched to the limits at the moment. We're trying to add to our squad and we'll try to get a couple of loan players in in time for Saturday. That appears to be the better option in the short term for if you're wanting to get players in on a permanent deal its a matter of having to put seven days notice of approach in and then waiting. As for Matty Caudwell he could be ready on Saturday but you're never sure with hamstrings. He's felt it a bit again today (Tuesday) and I'm a little apprehensive about putting him in again so soon. We're without a midweek game next week and it might be best to give him an extra week to recover."

 

One ray of light for the Gladiators is that big striker Dene Cropper seems to be finding his form again after nearly a season and a half out with cruciate ligament trouble which required surgery.

 

Cropper came on for the last thirty minutes of the 3-1 defeat at Marine and scored a fine effort near the end for the Gladiators' consolation goal and then hit a brace in the 4-3 League Cup defeat at Eastwood.

 

"Cropps is getting stronger and fitter and will be a real asset to us" said Brown. "He scored a great goal on Saturday and then got two more at Eastwood and could easily nhave had a hat trick. He's come through the games okay so we now hope he can move on further and be the player again we all know he is."

 

Brown admits that despite whatever side he is able to field, the Gladiators are conceding some sloppy goals.

 

"We weren't at our best at Marine although I didn't think there was that much in it. But we just seem to be leaking poor goals at the moment and you can't concede three and four goals and expect to win games. We have to defend set plays better. Two of the Marine goals came from corners and then on Tuesday the first one was from another corner, the second was our mistake, the third from the long throw although there was a foul on Dene Cropper on the half way line just before then, and the fourth again we didn't defend well enough although their lad dragged Paul Riley to the ground before putting the ball in. Its hard to bear at the moment, for to be fair our small squad are working their socks off. We played by far the better football at Eastwood and I feel sorry for them. They scored three really good goals, and we should have had a penalty when their lad handled from Curtis Shaw's cross. When things aren't going for you, you want that bit of luck to turn things round and we didn't get the rub of the green. We definitely deserved more from the game."

 

But Brown remains buoyant ahead of the visit to Ashby Avenue as the Gladiators look for their first league double of the campaign after a 2-1 home win against the Whites back in August.

 

"We're looking forward to it. Even though we got beat tonight we think the confidence is coming back and we definitely performed better. If we continue to work hard and cut out those defensive mistakes there's no reason why we can't go there and get a result."

 

Meanwhile Chairman Darrell Holmes was handing out the compliments at the Gladiators Annual General Meeting on Monday night.

 

He praised Brown and Williams, Chief Executive Keith Brown, the Matlock Town Supporters Club and Commercial Manager and Vice Chairman Tom Wright.

 

"We were both ecstatic and disappointed at the end of last season" he said. "The highlights were the win at Histon in the FA Cup only to be followed by disappointment against Cambridge City to weeks later and the wins against Ilkeston at Christmas and being the first team to beat Telford on their travels. We had the fixture backlog at the end of the season and that just emphasised the effort, commitment and application put in by the two managers and the players. We were disappointed at the end of the season but at the same time I felt proud of the football club we have and the people committed towards it. We got one or two dodgy refereeing decisions, particularly in the League Cup Final, but there are bigger disappointments in life. Most UniBond teams and those in the Conference North would have been proud of the team we had at the end of last season and that's great credit to both Phil and Gareth."

 

Turning to Keith Brown he reflected on the efforts of Brown to secure the best possible deals for the Gladiators in the transfer market during the summer.

 

"Keith did his very best for Matlock Town Football Club with regard to the deals involving Tom Cahill and Ian Holmes and it wasn't easy particularly with one of the clubs concerned. He also got us a great deal with Kris Bowler's move to Alfreton. Kris and Steve Warne went there to further their own careers and we'll have to see what happens. Steve was offered a better deal and a contract to stay with us but he didn't want to sign a contract" Holmes confirmed.

 

"The Supporters Club have again provided magnificent financial support and this has allowed us to do things on the pitch that we may not have been able to have done and the pitch itself has had a tremendous amount of work done on it and Tom Wright should take a lot of credit there for all his work behind the scenes while the people who did the work on it during the summer have done a great job."

 

Treasurer Mike Tomlinson's Financial Report revealed that the Gladiators had made a small loss in the year ended 31 May 2007 but there were encouraging signs on the income side.

 

Gate receipts had risen by approximately 28% since twelve months earlier while sponsorship had shown a marked increase , which included Matlock Spa and Geoquip becoming shirt and ground sponsors respectively.

 

With regards to expenditure both ground maintenance costs and ground development costs had risen sharply but were needed to maintain standards and comfort at the Geoquip Stadium.

 

Both expenditure and income had increased but Mr Tomlinson summarised his report by saying it was a pleasing one in days of ever increasing costs and he thanked all sponsors, fund raisers and workers for their continued support.

 

Former Matlock striker Ian Holmes netted his first Mansfield Town goal in the Stags FA Cup victory at home to Blue Square South Lewes on Saturday. Again coming on as a substitute, Holmes headed in at the near post for the fourth and final goal. Ironically Holmes now has a chance to star against Matlock's FA Cup conquerors of this season, Harrogate Railway.

 

The UniBond First Division North side beat Blue Square Premier strugglers Droylsden 2-0 at Station View on Saturday to earn a home draw against Mansfield in a fortnight's time.