Matlock aim to build on cup win
Matlock Town boss Adam Clayton says he expects his side to kick on after they secured their first competitive win of the new season last weekend.
The Gladiators won 2-0 at Mickleover FC in the preliminary round of the FA Cup, setting up a home tie against Northern Counties East League Premier Division side Bottesford Town in the first qualifying round on August 30.
Saturday’s game saw Matlock score two first-half goals that ultimately won them the game, although skipper Liam Ravenhill was sent off in the second-half for two bookable offences.
And speaking ahead of Tuesday night’s home game with Garforth Town, played after this week’s Mercury went to press, Clayton was expecting the FA Cup win to be built on in the league.
He said: "The first win was always coming. Getting it now is really good and it’ll settle us down I think.
“It was another good performance with two good halves of football again. We had a lot of the ball in the first-half and played some really good stuff, but with the man sent off in the second we had to really dig in and stop the opposition from creating any clear cut chances.
"The second goal right on half-time was so important in terms of settling everyone down and ensuring we’re in control of the game. Going in at 1-0 is a good scoreline but one that can be attacked by the opposition straight away.
"We could really have had two, three or four in the first-half, as had been the case at Lincoln on Tuesday, then in the second-half the team showed good character and I’m delighted for them.
"With ten men you have to respect the opposition will have an extra pass here and there, but our mentality wasn’t to sit there and defend. We had to stop them creating chances but also look to break at the right times which we did on three or four occasions and we were probably worth a goal ourselves.”
Matlock will have a free Saturday this weekend but are back in action on Bank Holiday Monday when they welcome Ossett United to the Proctor Cars Stadium for a 3pm start.