For James Lukic, Saturday's big FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round clash at home to Blue Square North AFC Telford United marks a major milestone in his footballing career. The Matlock Town skipper makes a remarkable 400th senior appearance for the Gladiators and he's still only twenty five years old! Lukic made his debut as a 16 year old back on 2 February 1999 when he came on as a substitute in a Derbyshire Senior Cup tie victory against Glossop North End. Who would have thought then that a young lad, albeit from a footballing family (his uncle John kept goal for both Leeds United and Arsenal), would have gone on to be such a huge favourite with the Matlock crowd?

But the potential was there when he was playing in the Gladiators reserve side in his mid teens. He had leadership qualities from a very early age and was eventually appointed as skipper by then boss Ernie Moss towards the end of the 2002/03 season.
"To be playing my 400th game is a nice achievement, and to have done that while I'm only 25 is great and it shows that the managers here have thought something about me and I'm grateful for the chance to have played so many games" said Lukic.
The fact that he will be donning Gladiators colours for the 400th time in such a prestigious match is something that Lukic will perhaps never forget.
"It's a big game to make your 400th appearance in and hopefully we'll give them a good game" Lukic continued. "We had two good games against them last season and Saturday will probably be as good. It'll be a tough one for they were a strong side last year and they'll have strengthened during the summer, but its one that I and the rest of the players are looking forward to."

Lukic is now in his tenth season at Matlock and he has plenty of fond memories.
"There's loads of highlights to be honest, particularly in the last few years when we've won the League Cup, the Derbyshire Cup and been runners up in the league. There's been some really good lads here to play alongside. There isn't a specific game that stands out for me. I've enjoyed playing in them all and at this level you've got to enjoy every game you play. I can't remember all 400, but there's one game up at Gretna when I got knocked out. Mick Cunningham our physio looked after me all the way back and I'm told that I must have asked him at least fifteen times what the score was."

Strangely enough Lukic was unable to remember how Matlock had fared at Raydale Park when speaking in midweek, but Tuesday night's 0-0 draw at Frickley was still fresh in his mind.
"I think Frickley set their stall out after Saturday not to get beat. They didn't really look like scoring but neither did we although that was one of the most stonewall penalty decisions you'll ever see when Laurence (Hall) was brought down."

Joint boss Phil Brown is also delighted to see Lukic reach this major landmark. "What a great game for his 400th appearance also at such a young age. He's been different class over the years, leading from the front and he has been outstanding .Its nice for him to play his 400th game for the club in a big FA Cup tie in front of a good crowd."

Saturday's tie with Telford could attract a gate of over a thousand to the Geoquip Stadium, with the Bucks expected to bring a large contingent with them. Last season Matlock beat the Bucks 2-1 in the League at the Geoquip Stadium and they will be looking for a repeat on Saturday.
"We're looking forward to it and we expect them to be up for it. Rob Smith their manager's got a lot of respect for us, he told Gareth Williams on the phone last week that Matlock away was the tie he really didn't want. Now there might be some kidology or psychology there but in any event we're expecting a proper cup tie and it should be a good day for the club financially."

Andy Richmond, who missed the Frickley match through suspension after his recent sending off at Witton Albion should displace young Martin Taylor in goal on Saturday and Brown said that he expects his transfer target who he put seven days notice in on last week, to have put pen to paper for the Gladiators ahead of the tie. If Saturday's contest ends all square, the replay will be at the New Bucks Head on Tuesday night (7-45 pm). Matlock warmed up for the Telford tie with a home draw against Gateshead last weekend before Tuesday night's scoreless draw at Frickley.
Simon Barraclough gave Matlock a dream start with a goal inside forty seconds against the Tynesiders who arrived at the Geoquip Stadium with a 100% record in all competitions that far this season. But Ian Robson levelled three minutes before half time and in an enthralling second period chances fell to both sides to claim the extra points, the best one to the Gladiators.
With nine minutes left, Barraclough was felled inside the box, but his penalty was tamely struck and goalkeeper Peter Keen made a comfortable save.

Then against Frickley Matlock never got going and 0-0 was a fair reflection of the night's play, although Matlock had what looked to be a certain penalty refused for a foul on substitute Laurence Hall twelve minutes from time.
"It was a good match against Gateshead" Brown said. "I thought we just shaded it. Gateshead are a good team who had scored a lot of goals but we showed them what a good side we are and should and could have won it. Gateshead had settled for a point as they showed us a lot of respect by dropping deeper and deeper late in the second half. Simon got his goal, looked sharp and I'm disappointed for him with the penalty miss. We like our forwards to take penalties but now its probably the time to take some of the pressure off Simon by letting someone else have them.

We've since found out that Ryan Laight has scored twelve out of twelve playing for Barnsley Academy and had we got one at Frickley, Ryan would have taken it. Simon will get enough goals anyway. We got the penalty on Saturday and didn't stick it in and on Tuesday you'll never see a more blatant penalty than the one Laurence Hall was refused. The ref said that had he seen it he'd have given the penalty and sent the lad off. I don't want to go on about refs too much, but I don't know how he or his assistant missed it, but we've got to get on with it. With the penalty miss and the one not given we've ended up with two points which ought to have been six."