Gladiators Vs Spireites set for 2pm kick off

This coming Saturday’s Ernie Moss Challenge Cup meeting between Matlock Town and Chesterfield will now kick off at 2pm instead of the usual 3pm start.

Discussions between officials of both clubs took place on Monday and it was universally agreed that the game will now go ahead an hour earlier than planned with the televised Euro 2024 quarter-final between England and Switzerland due to kick off at 5 pm.

“It will allow fans to see both matches in their entirety,” said a Matlock spokesman.

“The will have the chance to get back home or find a pub in Matlock or Chesterfield and it will give them a full day’s football. The match will be shown in the Shorts Loungs at Matlock but obviously, there isn’t the room to cater for everyone so we believe this is the best decision all around.”

Saturday’s game , a sell out, will be Matlock’s first under new boss Nicky Law, a former Spireites player and manager with Matlock set to have a number of new faces in their lineup.

Ian Richardson