Gladiators hold play-off chasers Guiseley in stalemate
Matlock’s winless run was extended to ten games on Saturday but they were nevertheless good value for the point gained from a 0-0 draw against high-flying Guiseley.
Both sides created plenty of chances but neither could ultimately find the defining moment, Matlock remaining in the bottom four but results elsewhere largely going in their favour.
Guiseley had the first clear chance in the opening minute as Lewis Whitham fired wide from the edge of the box, then a free header for Jameel Ible from a corner was easily gathered by debutant keeper Jason Alexander.
The game then settled into more of a midfield battle with neither side able to keep possession, Guiseley winning plenty of set piece opportunities but unable to capitalise.
Matlock’s first effort on target didn’t come until the 35th minute, when after a counter-attack from one of those Guiseley set pieces, Elliott Whitehouse produced an overhead kick from Montel Gibson’s cross but keeper Joe Cracknell was able to gather with ease.
Gabriel Johnson then turned and shot straight at Alexander five minutes before the break, then Ollie Banks worked space for himself in the penalty area but screwed the ball wide when he should really have hit the target.
There was still time for Alexander to save low down from Johnson, but half-time arrived with no scores on the board.
Both sides had penalty appeals turned down early in the second-half as they sought to gain the upper hand, Whitham nearly making Jack Stobbs pay for an error on the hour mark but firing just too high from just inside the penalty area.
Sub Josh Ayres was brought on to give Matlock some aerial presence up top and he headed a Stobbs cross wide on 64 and then saw Cracknell save his low shot two minutes later.
Lebrun Mbeka nearly opened the scoring for the visitors from a corner when his volley was pushed wide by Alexander, while at the other end Gibson saw an effort blocked at the back post from the hosts’ own flag kick.
Cracknell then pulled off two superb saves to deny both Josh Smith and Josh Ayres, the second of those particularly impressive.
Alexander had looked solid on his first Matlock start and produced his own fine stop to deny sub Jack Emmett, Mbeka’s header from the resulting corner dropping just wide and Whitham then pulling a shot wide as the game entered stoppage time and ultimately finished goalless.