Gladiators announce a plethora of pre-season fixtures

Matlock Town have been busy working on their pre season friendly programme and they have so far confirmed four away games and one home fixture with some tasty home matches in the pipeline.

The home game is against Notts County, newly promoted to the Football League following their National League play off victory against Chesterfield at the weekend. The Magpies come to town on Tuesday 18 July (7.45pm).

Prior to the Notts County match though they travel to play former Gladiator Ryan Hindley’s Retford United side on Saturday July 15 with a 3 pm kick off at Cannon Park. The Badgers emerged as champions of the Central Midlands League Premier North last season.

There’s a trip to the seaside on Saturday 22 July as the Gladiators take on Skegness Town, the match being part of a team bonding weekend with a night out in the holiday resort afterwards. Skegness are managed by former Matlock assistant boss Chris Rawlinson who was at the Proctor Cars Stadium in the 2018/19 season under Dave Frecklington. They finished in ninth spot in the United Counties Premier Division North in 2022/23.

Matlock will then travel to Dronfield to take on NPL Eastern Division Sheffield FC on Saturday 29 July. This has become a regular part of Matlock’s warm up regime, the teams drawing 0-0 last summer at the Proctor Cars Stadium, while a year earlier the Gladiators were 3-1 winners at the Coach and Horses ground.

Their final pre season fixture is a short trip down the A6 on Saturday 5 August to face Belper Town in the Caroline Melbourne Cup, the game being reinstated to Matlock’s pre season calendar After a break of five years. The Nailers will this season play their football in the NPL Eastern Division following their relegation from the NPL Premier Division last month after finishing in bottom spot.

More friendlies will be announced in due course following liaison with the opposing clubs.

Ian Richardson