Lower league sides have a habit of scaring their more illustrious opponents in FA Cup ties, and boy, did Sleaford Town put the frighteners on the Gladiators in one of the most uncomfortable first halves they have endured for a very long time.
The positive for Matlock to take from the opening forty five minutes in this FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round replay was that at least they were on level terms at the half way mark. They could so easily have been trailing.
But thankfully, with the strong wind in their favour after the interval, they put their game together much better. Ross Hannah bagged the winner from the spot, adding to James Lukic's 25th minute header, while Miles Hunter, as he did on Saturday at Belper, netted Sleaford's 36th minute equaliser.
Conditions were difficult for as well as a howling wind around the very open and new Eslaforde Park ground, the pitch was bone hard and badly in need of some water. While Matlock fans were pleading for the ball to be played on the floor, sometimes safety first was the best idea and that would undoubtedly have been a better option when Sleaford scored.
Dene Cropper and Ben Algar, who started the tie at Belper, were both left on the substitutes bench as Danny Wood and Ross Hannah were recalled after injury lay offs. Hannah and Jamie Jackson were the front two with Wood on the right of midfield and Liam King on the left.
Sleaford began at a blistering place as Matlock faced an assault of Alamo proportions. The Greens forced no fewer than five corners in the opening six minutes. Two of the flag kicks came when Sollitt denied Hunter and then blocked well from Tom Ward. From the fourth, Scott Brough was on hand to clear off the line from Hunter.
Matlock were glad to venture towards the other end and that journey nearly paid off when a faulty clearance from goalkeeper Andrew Scott was returned with interest first time by Steve Warne, but to Scott's relief, the shot curled wide.
The Gladiators then won their first corner when Wood's cross was cut out by Paul Ward and when Mark Haran rose to plant a header firmly goalwards, it was just out of Jackson's radar. The former Spireites attacker then did well to feed Warne whose shot lacked power enabling Scott to save easily.
Sollitt was having one of those nights when he did little right and when Ryan Oliver charged down his clearance, which he had delayed for far too long, Hunter could not take full advantage when the ball ricocheted to him, being forced wide to still deliver a decent cross which Oliver headed straight at Sollitt.
LUKIC had more goalbound attempts than any Gladiator on the night. Scott was comfortably equal to a 24th minute header but he was beaten just a minute afterwards when the defensive talisman rose to meet a Gareth Davies corner with a thumping header which flew past the startled Scott.
The Town scorer then proved his worth at the other end, defending brilliantly at the expense of an ever increasing corner count, to stop Gary Walters from sprinting up the left.
But a mix up of monumental proportions between Lukic and Sollitt on 36 minutes gifted Sleaford a way back. Neither defender nor goalkeeper took any real control of an awkwardly bouncing ball in the visiting penalty box, and the chance when it came was gift wrapped on a plate for HUNTER to stroke into the vacant net.
Almost immediately Hunter, wanted by both Lincoln United and Boston United and surely won't be in the United Counties League for long, was allowed a criminal amount of space and Lukic took no chances this time, conceding a corner from which his side had another escape just like the one on Saturday.
Paul Ward came steaming in to head thunderously against the underside of the bar. Again, the ball somehow stayed out in a squeaky bum moment for Matlock and their fans. The gods were smiling on Matlock. A torrid first half for them ended with Davies shooting a good three yards wide from the edge of the box.
But the aforementioned Ward was the culprit for the penalty as Matlock struck their 56th minute decider. Jackson, now more of a threat, found King on the left and when the midfielder cut inside, Ward's careless and rash challenge sent King tumbling for the most obvious of spot kick awards.
After a delay to change the faulty ball, HANNAH stepped up to smash home a fierce drive straight down the middle. Within another minute, Hannah was dragged back with Ward again culpable in a tussle that looked as much a penalty if not more than the one which was given, but Nottingham referee Mike Leslie waved away the appeals of players and the 100 visiting fans.
At last Matlock looked in control as Sleaford began to run out of ideas, having lost a good deal of their earlier zip. Haran came forward to watch his well struck effort deflected wide and Lukic was always a threat from set pieces, twice coming close to adding to his personal scoring tally.
Hannah ran for everything pulling defenders one way and then the other and Jackson, now pushed out on to the right as Cropper replaced Wood, was a constant menace and a great attacking outlet for Matlock.
Sollitt uncharacteristically flapped at a couple more high crosses to leave the hearts of visiting fans in their mouths, but Lukic and Haran stood firm. The big boot was the right and effective answer in these trying circumstances.
But Matlock might have sewn the tie up two minutes into four added for stoppages as Jackson and Warne combined to set up King whose delicate finish looked certain to drop just under the bar, but the small and chunky Scott somehow sprung to his left to claw the ball inches over the goal frame.
So Matlock progressed, but not without a scare or two along the way. Sleaford can be proud of their performances in both ties, the replay creating a record ground attendance for a competitive fixture at Eslaforde Park. Matlock will realise they got out of jail at one or two points on their rough old ride to Qualifying Round Two.
MATLOCK TOWN: Sollitt, Brough, Featherstone, King, Haran, Lukic, Warne, Davies, Jackson, Hannah, Wood (Cropper 72). Subs not used: Yates, Thorpe, Algar, Cartwright, Buxton.
REFEREE: M Leslie---Nottingham ATTENDANCE: 425 STAR MAN: Ross Hannah.
