Match Reports

Yet again the Gladiators shot themselves in the foot as they paid the price for elementary mistakes allowing North Ferriby to sneak a victory which never looked on in the opening half hour.

By then Matlock should have been three goals ahead instead of just one, and Ferriby sensed that they might just get something from the game and so it proved.

Just four minutes after the restart they were level after Andy Richmond failed to claim a corner, and another defensive howler gave the hosts the lead. Then having equalised, they conceded again straight away and the points were to stay on Humberside.

After the encouraging display at Guiseley, this was a disappointing performance. Having had the encouragement of a first minute goal, Matlock should have gone on to comfortably win the match, but they allowed Ferriby a way back and were second best after the interval. Frustrating times indeed for joint bosses Phil Brown and Gareth Williams and the Town fans. Their side has enough talent to command a top six place but as long as they continue to let in soft goals, the good results are not going to come on a consistent basis.

Ryan Davis returned after three months out with a knee injury to slot in at left back with the fit again Paul Riley occupying a left midfield position. Matlock reverted to a 4-4-2 formation with Laurence Hall and Ben Kistell dropping down to the bench.

On a bitterly cold afternoon under the gaze of the Humber Bridge, Matlock were in front before three o clock had arrived. Referee Ian Knee got the match off to an early start and Matlock immediately won a free kick on the left. Riey's ball in was not confidently dealt with by the Ferriby defence and James Lukic found Steve Taylor who in turn fed SIMON BARRACLOUGH who prodded home from a couple of yards out.

The Gladiators swarmed towards the Villagers goal with Taylor having a shot charged down after good work by Webster, before the first of two gilt edged opportunities was spurned by Matlock in the 12th minute.

Taylor escaped down the left with Ferriby having been cut wide open , but with just goalkeeper Antoni Pecora to beat, he pulled a low shot wide of the far post. Then five minutes later Barraclough was in the clear down the middle, but he delayed too long and the long outstretched leg of defender Phil Rowland intervened to concede a corner.

Ferriby gradually began to find a foothold and they were awarded a number of free kicks around the edge of the box which fortunately for the Gladiators came to nothing. Michael Price took the lot, some were well saved by Richmond, others were off target.

Phil Brown revealed afterwards that he had warned his troops that Ferriby would chuck the kitchen sink at them after the break and that they needed to concentrate and start playing their passing game once again. Play became scrappy and that favoured the hosts in a match played in a strong blustery wind.

Having not found the target from his free kicks, PRICE had better luck when his left wing corner floated over Richmond and found the net off the back post for the equaliser. The unexpected strike had given Ferriby a huge boost and Matlock were forced to defend as the hosts sensed a victory, but it took until the 68th minute for them to breach the visiting defence, and they did so far too easily.

DAVID COOKE was left in yards of space at the far post to meet a left wing cross and although Richmond tried to block, Cooke slipped the ball past him and Matlock were staring a disappointing defeat in the face.

Davis, who had struggled on his return, was immediately sacrificed with Matty Caudwell operating down the left flank and Riley, who again worked hard, dropping deeper.But it was another substitute who made a bigger impact just a minute after coming on. Webster pulled a cross along the box and BEN KISTELL, who ws perhaps unfortunate to have been left out after an impressive debut at Guiseley, was on hand to shoot home from eight yards.

But Matlock have a habit of pressing the self destruct button all too often at present, and they lost all concentration within thirty seconds of their equaliser. Ferriby attacked from the restart and GARY BRADSHAW, a prolific scorer for Ferriby who in the past had not enjoyed much success against the Gladiators, this time hit the jackpot as he curled an excellent 20 yard finish beyond Richmond. Just what were the Gladiators thinking about, giving a striker of Bradshaw's calibre so much room?

Even then Matlock might have levelled as Rowland clearly nudged a pass back to Pecora with his hand. Mr Knee consulted his assistant but neither saw no evil and a stonewall spot kick had been turned down. Matlock started to play again with Caudwell having a shot well saved by Pecora and Riley having an effort charged down by the Ferriby defence who looked determined to keep their goal intact for the rest of the contest.

They did this successfully to earn three vital points in their fight against the drop. Matlock's play off hopes receeded even further and they can only blame themselves. Now they are looking over their shoulders at clubs hard on their heels from behind. They paid for their generosity at both ends of the pitch, but really they must tighten up defensively and in midfield.

MATLOCK TOWN: Richmond, Laight, Davis (Caudwell 69), Ashley (Kistell 74), Hannigan, Lukic, Webster, Circuit, Taylor (Hall 78), Barraclough, Riley.