Friday 24th August 2012
by IAN RICHARDSON

An opening day hammering at home, a rack of injuries and a first away victory in almost twelve months made up a strange old first week of the season for Matlock Town.

After a promising pre season, few people, if anyone, predicted a 5-0 mauling by Nantwich Town.

The catalogue of injuries began even before the first game when central defender Laurence Gaughan aggravated a hamstring complaint which had showed signs of improvement, allowing him 45 minutes in the final pre season game with Derby County.

But a training session left Gaughan in pain, a strain has become a tear and he now faces about eight weeks on the sidelines.

Gaughan's injury meant an eve of season signing in Luke Foster from Sheffield United who was given an instant debut against Nantwich. While the five goal defeat was painful enough, injuries to two more Gladiators exacerbated that pain.

Full back Micky Harcourt was forced off after 20 minutes with a foot injury. He is due to see the physiotherapist on Friday but looks like being out for a few matches.

Then substitute Ben Algar felt pain the day after the game and a hospital visit revealed he had broken a metatarsal and a two months lay off.

It didn't end there! Midfielder James Ashmore lasted just eight minutes at Frickley Athletic on Tuesday before being carried off with ankle ligament damage after a Frickley player landed on top of him. Again the diagnosis is a couple of months lay off.

"Thank goodness we've a big squad, for it looks like we'll need it, that's why I brought all the lads in I did, particularly with the hectic start to the season" explained boss Mark Atkins. "We've also got Kris Bowler with a rib injury, Lewis McMahon has a bad ankle and Joe Leesley an achilles knock sustained when he scored our winning goal."

Gareth Davies and Nathan Joynes look likely to be added to the squad for the August Bank Holiday fixtures against FC United of Manchester at Gigg Lane, Bury on Saturday and for the visit of Rushall Olympic on Monday afternoon.   

Both opponents have 100% records after the opening two games, while Tuesday's 2-1 success at Frickley, achieved with two late goals from a McMahon penalty and Leesley, overturned a deficit and saw Matlock leap from bottom to eleventh before Wednesday's games.

"FC United will be up there, they're a very good side, they'll be in the play offs if they don't win it" said Atkins. "The big question is can we handle them defensively and also can we create and take enough opportunities to hurt them? Rushall had a very good first season at this level, they're strong and very well organised, so it'll be another tough one for us."

Skipper James Lukic should return against the Pics, having served a three match ban for a sending off against Whitby in last season's last home match. 

The Matlock supremo was livid with his team after the opening day humiliation. It was the Gladiators' worst opening day home defeat since they joined the Northern Premier League in 1969/70.

"We got exactly what we deserved" he barked. "Nantwich were by miles the better side. We'd had a good pre season in general and we were really looking forward to the game but we weren't at the races.

"Of the fourteen players we used, I wasn't happy with even one of them and it's not very often a manager will say that.

"There was no determination, no thought to our play, just long balls to their centre halves. It was a very poor performance.  People had a right to be upset and I as the manager have to carry the can for performances like that."

His anger had subsided somewhat by the middle of the week, the first three points of the season being an obvious boost, but Atkins revealed he wasn't totally happy with the performance.

"I had a bit of a pop at them at half time" he admitted. "I felt we needed to be a bit more creative at the attacking end of the pitch especially after we went a goal down. The tempo was much better in the second half without us creating that many scoring opportunities. But we got the penalty and we said we'd got to get more better quality into the box.

"Massive's (Ryan Hindley) come on and put in a great centre and Joe Leesley's tucked it away. We've won the game and we're delighted for this was a massive game for us. We knew what to expect having talked to Hednesford manager Rob Smith over the weekend. Hednesford had played them on Saturday and he gave us the low down. We got the physical pressure with the long balls pumped high and hard at you and I thought we defended very well."

Leesley's winner was his first competitive goal for the Gladiators.

Joe's done well and I'm pleased for him. He's disappointed he didn't get a start on Saturday, but I've got to be careful with him and bring him on carefully. He was always going to start at Frickley never mind what the result was on Saturday. He's got to carry on working hard, he's got a lot to learn but we're very pleased with him" said Atkins.

The win at the Tech 5 Stadium was Town's first on the road since a 2-1 win against Burscough at Skelmersdale on 3rd September 2011. Matlock won only twice away from home all last season, the other coming against Frickley almost a year to the day of this year's success.

Captain Lukic said, "That's the monkey off our backs now hopefully and we'll not have to read about how long it is since we've won away anymore."

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TRIALISTS MAKE THEIR MARK FOR GLADIATORS -
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MATLOCK TOWN'S HANNAH JOINS BRADFORD CITY -
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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-
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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 -
"I feel there's more to come from us." declared Matlock boss Mark Atkins after his side strengthened their Evo Stik League Premier Division campaign with a 3-0 win against Burcough. More...

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