Matlock boss Clayton keen to keep run going
Adam Clayton again paid tribute to his Matlock Town players after they made it five wins in a row last weekend.
The 3-0 win over Carlton Town in the FA Cup meant it became 14 goals scored and just two conceded in the Gladiators’ previous five games as Clayton’s men continued to gain momentum in all three of the competitions in which they are taking part.
On Tuesday night, they were aiming to add to that when they travelled a long way north to take on Ashington in the league, after this week’s Mercury had gone to press.
But speaking after Saturday’s win, Clayton was pleased to have again seen his players stand firm to take a victory.
He said: “It’s all very rosy at the moment but we all know that football can change very fast so we have to stay on it at the moment, maintain our intensity and stay on this run as long as possible.
"Carlton are a good team, probably the best we’ve played in my opinion, but for 30 minutes we were very good and probably deserved to be 4-0 up.
"But they came back into the game and have some good players, and they had 15 minutes either side of half-time where they probably deserved a goal themselves.
"But we defended very well, stuck to the task and for the last 25 minutes I think we got back hold of the game and could have scored a number of goals again.
“Scoring goals, winning games and keeping clean sheets is what you’re in it for so when you do all three it’s a really good feeling.
"The key now is whether we can extend the run. Don’t get bored of being good and don’t get tired of winning, be relentless and ruthless, that’s the message to the players.”
Matlock’s reward for beating Carlton is a third qualifying round trip to Hyde United, familiar opponents from the Gladiators’ time in the NPL Premier Division. That match will take place on Saturday, September 27 and the Gladiators have announced there will be free coach travel for supporters to the game.
This weekend, it’s more cup football but in the FA Trophy, as Basford United make the trip to the Proctor Cars Stadium, before Matlock then host Pontefract Collieries next Tuesday night.