Wednesday 13th July 2011
by IAN RICHARDSON

A visit to League Cup winners Ashton United on Saturday August 13th is Matlock Town's season opener in the 2011/2012 season after the fixture list was released this week.

The Gladiators suffered two defeats on the Hurst Cross ground late last season, losing the League Cup semi final 1-0 before going down 3-1 in the league.

Matlock's opening home match on Wednesday August 17th sees fancied Chasetown visit the Reynolds Stadium and this is quickly followed by another tough home game against Kendal Town on Saturday August 20th.

Title favourites Chester FC visit Matlock on Saturday March 24th with the Gladiators travelling in the opposite direction on Saturday November 19th.

Holiday games see Matlock host Buxton on Boxing Day, although the wintry weather has blanked out the fixture for the past two seasons. Matlock travel to Silverlands on Easter Monday, while August Bank Holiday Monday sees Mickleover Sports at the Reynolds Stadium in a repeat of last season's fixture, the return at Station Road being scheduled for Monday January 2nd.

Old adversaries Stafford Rangers, back in the Northern Premier after an absence of twenty five years, are at Matlock on Wenesday September 7th and Matlock make also make the trip to Marston Road in midweek on Tuesday November 22nd. The end of the season is on Saturday April 21 with a visit to newly promoted Rushall Olympic.

The draws for the 1st Qualifying Rounds of the FA Cup and FA Trophy have also been made, with Matlock being blessed with home advantage in both competitions.

The FA cup game on Saturday September 17th will see Matlock face either Evo-Stik First Division South Hucknall Town, Northern Counties East League Premier Division Lincoln Moorlands Railway or United Counties League Premier Division Holbeach United. First Division South opposition also awaits in the Trophy as either Stamford or last season's beaten FA Vase finalists Coalville Town come to the Reynolds Stadium on Saturday October 22nd.

FIXTURES:

AUGUST:
Sat 13   Ashton United (A)
Wed 17 CHASETOWN (H)
Sat 20 KENDAL TOWN (H)
Tue 23 Frickley Athletic (A)
Sat 27 Marine (A)
Mon 29 MICKLEOVER SPORTS (H)

SEPTEMBER:
Sat 3 Burscough (A)
Wed 7 STAFFORD RANGERS (H)
Sat 10 BRADFORD PA (H)
Tue 13 Hednesford Town (A)
Sat 17 HUCKNALL  TOWN/ LINCOLN MOORLANDS RAILWAY / HOLBEACH UTD (H) - FA CUP 1Q;
Sat 24 Whitby Town (A)
Wed 28 NORTH FERRIBY UTD (H)

OCTOBER:
Sat 1 FA Cup 2Q
Sat 8 CHORLEY (H)
Tue 11 Nantwich Town (H)
Sat 15 STOCKSBRIDGE PS (H)
Sat 22 STAMFORD / COALVILLE TOWN (H) FA TROPHY 1Q;
Sat 29 Northwich Victoria (A)

NOVEMBER: 
Sat 5 FA Trophy 2Q
Sat 12 WORKSOP TOWN (H)
Sat 19 Chester (A)
Tue 22 Stafford Rangers (A)
Sat 26 BURSCOUGH (H)
Wed 30 HEDNESFORD TOWN (H)

DECEMBER:
Sat 3 Bradford PA (A)
Sat 10 FC United of Manchester (A)
Sat 17 RUSHALL OLYMPIC (H)
Mon 26 BUXTON (H)

JANUARY:
Mon 2 Mickleover Sports (A)
Sat 7 ASHTON UNITED (H)
Sat 14 Chasetown (A)
Sat 21 Kendal Town (A)
Sat 28 FRICKLEY ATHLETIC (H)

FEBRUARY:
Sat 4 North Ferriby Utd (A)
Sat 11 WHITBY TOWN (H)
Sat 18 Chorley (A)
Sat 25 NANTWICH TOWN (H)

MARCH:  
Sat 3 NORTHWICH VICTORIA (H)
Sat 10 League Cup Semi Finals
Sat 17 Stocksbridge PS (A)
Sat 24 CHESTER (H)
Sat 31 Worksop Town (A)

APRIL: 
Sat 7 MARINE (H)
Mon 9 Buxton (A)
Sat 14 FC UNITED of MANCHESTER (H)
Sat 21 Rushall Olympic (A) 

RECENT STORIES

GLADIATORS PUNCH ABOVE THEIR WEIGHT-
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GLADIATORS RECHARGE THEIR BATTERIES -
A free week - just what Matlock Town wanted after a busy opening month which has seen them play almost a quarter of their league fixtures plus the FA Cup. More...

GLADIATORS BATTLE ON DESPITE INJURY -
The 2-1 win against Mickleover Sports on Monday which extended Matlock Town's unbeaten run to 5 games might come at a cost. More...

GLADIATORS BATTLE ON -
According to boss Mark Atkins, 2 wins and 2 clean sheets has done much to right the wrongs of Matlock Town's first 2 games. More...

NEW SIGNING GIVES ATKINS SELECTION HEADACHE -
Striker Tyeisse Nightingale has signed for Matlock Town and now Gladiators boss Mark Atkins feels he has competition throughout his squad. More...

MATLOCK'S HUNT FOR STRIKER GOES ON -
The Gladiators' search for another striker goes on but new recruit Lee Whittington does his chances of a starting place no harm whatsoever with 4 goals in pre season. More...

GLADIATORS DRAW IN NEW BLOOD -
Matlock boss Mark Atkins swooped quickly to replace his departing goalkeeper Adam Sollitt with Worksop Town's Jon Kennedy More...

FINDERS KEEPERS FOR GLADIATORS -
The shock departure of first choice goalkeeper Adam Sollitt means a new goalkeeper is top of Matlock Manager Atkins' shopping list More...

MIDWEEK FIXTURES CHANGE FOR THE GLADIATORS -
There's a change of midweek home night for Matlock Town this season as the Gladiators switch from Tuesday to Wednesday. More...

TRIALISTS MAKE THEIR MARK FOR GLADIATORS -
A clutch of trialists will have the chance to stake their claim with Mark Atkins' Gladiators when the Blues return for pre season training More...

GLADIATOR'S SIGN EXPERIENCED DUO -
Manager Mark Atkins reckons he's found experience that was lacking after agreeing deals with Chris Bettney and Simon Sturdy. More...

TWO NEW FACES FOR GLADIATORS -
Matlock Town's first two signings of the summer are a former fan's favourite and an up and coming utility player. More...

DUE TO RETURN TO THE GLADIATORS ARENA NEXT SEASON-
2 of Matlock Town's brightest young stars have signed new 1-year contracts ahead of the new campaign. More...

GLADIATORS BOSS PRAISES BUXTON -
Matlock boss Mark Atkins this week paid tribute to his number two Nick Buxton for his contribution both on and off the field. More...

MATLOCK TOWN'S HANNAH JOINS BRADFORD CITY -
Ross Hannah finally got his wish of a career in the Football League when he joined League Two outfit Bradford City. More...

PRAISE FOR GLADIATORS' YOUNG STAR -
2011 has seen the emergence of a bright young talent at the Reynolds Stadium as 18 year old full back Ben Turner has stepped up to the plate. More...

HANNAH STRIKES GOLD -
Ross Hannah has surely hit legendary status at Matlock Town as his hat trick in Easter Monday's final league game this term saw him shatter the club record of 49 goals in a season. More...

STAY OF EXECUTION FOR THE GLADIATORS-
Boss Mark Atkins admitted it was "a huge relief" to beat Nantwich Town and end their sequence without a league win More...

NEW FACILITIES FOR GLADIATORS -
Success for Evo-Stik League Premier Division outfit Matlock Town hasn't come on the field this season, but off it. More...

IS THE GLADIATOR'S BATTLE OVER? -
Manager Mark Atkins has conceded that his side's hopes of reaching the play offs are all but over. More...

NOW OR NEVER FOR GLADIATORS -
Monday night's 1-0 Evo-Stik League Challenge Cup semi final defeat at Ashton United gives the Gladiators just the play offs to aim for. More...

FIGHT GOES ON FOR GLADIATORS -
Their play off hopes may be fading but Matlock Town boss Mark Atkins insists that the fight goes on. More...

BATTLE AHEAD FOR THE GLADIATORS -
Make no bones about it, Matlock need to beat Whitby Town in Saturday's lunchtime kick off (1pm) at the Reynolds Stadium. More...

NEW BLOOD FOR THE GLADIATORS -
Matlock Town boss Mark Atkins has fulfilled his promise to strengthen his Gladiators squad More...

GLADIATORS BATTLE TO HANG ON TO HANNAH -
Matlock Town boss Mark Atkins says that claims from Torquay that the Gulls had signed Gladiators star striker are "premature to say the very least." More...

AND THE WINNER IS... -
A brace of awards have come Matlock Town's way for boss Mark Atkins and the Gladiators new stand being acclaimed as the best new stand of 2011... More...

GLADIATORS FIGHT TO THE FINISH -
A perfect February has given Matlock Town an excellent chance of making the end of season play offs but boss Mark Atkins is taking nothing for granted. More...

ATKINS PLEASED AFTER WEEKEND WIN -
Matlock boss Mark Atkins reckons the 4-0 win at Retford United was a massive result for his side in more ways than one. More...

ATKINS SEEKS NEW BLOOD -
A busy Mark Atkins is trying to strengthen Matlock's squad ahead of a run of 18 league games and at least one, hopefully more, League Cup tie to play before the season's end. More...

MATLOCK TOWN SEEKS INVESTORS -
"A few thousand pounds could make a real difference to the club". That's the message from Matlock Town Football Club. More...

ALL CHANGE FOR THE GLADIATORS -
Fans shouldn't be surprised to see a couple of changes to the Matlock Town team that takes on Marine at the Reynolds Stadium on Saturday More...

KEEP IT UP -
Having won four out of their last five league matches, Mark Atkins' Matlock Town now find themselves up in third spot, More...

FLU HITS MATLOCK CAMP -
Matlock boss Mark Atkins rose from his sick bed on Monday to orchestrate a vital home win against Burscough, and then was back in it straight after the match. More...

ATKINS, "2010 HAS BEEN A GOOD YEAR" -
...but the Gladiators' fate in 2011 could be decided on how they cope with fixture congestion in what is expected to be a crowded end to the campaign. More...

PROVERBIAL 'SIX POINTER' -
Matlock Town v Buxton on Christmas Monday at the Reynolds Stadium looks to be the proverbial six pointer as the local rivals seek a play off spot More...

GLADIATORS BATTLE ARCTIC CONDITIONS -
Matlock Town boss Mark Atkins fears that his side could face a big fixture backlog as the arctic conditions bit into the Evo-Stik League fixture programme this week. More...

BACK TO WINNING WAYS -
Manager Mark Atkins was pleased and relieved that defensive errors failed to rear up again as Matlock recorded two 3-0 home wins inside a week More...

GLADIATORS
FIGHT ON -
Without a win in five games, Matlock Town will be desperate to grab maximum points against second placed Colwyn Bay on Saturday. More...

ATKINS: GIVING CHEAP GOALS AWAY MUST STOP -
Matlock boss Mark Atkins says his side must stop giving cheap goals away after their second 2-1 home defeat in four days. More...

MILESTONE APPEARANCE FOR GLADIATORS PLAYER -
There's two very good reasons why Matlock Town will want Saturday's visitors Hucknall Town to feel the backlash More...

GLADIATORS FIGHT BACK AFTER 1st AWAY DEFEAT OF THE SEASON -
Mark Atkins will be looking for his Matlock side to bounce back quickly and positively from their first away defeat of the season against Worksop More...

YOU CAN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN -
They say you can't keep a good man down... Matlock striker Ross Hannah has certainly proved the point this last week. More...

NEW STAND IN ACTION AT MATLOCK -
It's taken 10 years and a mammoth fundraising effort - but Matlock Town Football Club's new 300-seater stand is now providing a welcome home for supporters. More...

MATLOCK GAFFER BLASTS REFEREE -
Matlock boss Mark Atkins laid the blame for his side's second defeat of the season firmly at the door of Mansfield referee Mark Jones. More...

WILL HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF? -
Matlock will travel to the Bill Stokeld Stadium hoping history repeats itself this weekend as they take on Evo Stik League first Divison South Carlton Town in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup. More...

TOP OF THE LEAGUE - Two wins in forty-eight hours placed Matlock Town on top of the league as they embark on their latest FA Cup adventure on Saturday at home to fellow Evo-Stik Premiership side Worksop Town. More...

NO EXCUSES -
Matlock boss Mark Atkins offered no excuses after a disappointing Bank Holiday return of just one point out of six. More...

MORE TO COME -
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RARING TO GO -
"The lads are raring to go" was the message from Matlock Town boss Mark Atkins after a long pre season programme of seven weeks and nine matches. More...

Related Links

Matlock Town Website