Matlock Town boss relishes South Shields challenge

Saturday’s match at Mariners Park is a second successive top versus second clash for Matlock who came out on top against Bamber Bridge at the Proctor Cars Stadium last weekend. It is Matlock’s third top two clash in a little over a month when you include the home win against Buxton on December 27.

South Shields moved within three points of Matlock following a 3-1 home win against Witton Albion on Tuesday night, the Mariners having a game in hand. Should they beat Matlock by two clear goals, Shields will take over the league leadership.

“Of course it’s a really big game but there’s still 16 games left so there’s a very long way to go,” added the Matlock boss.

“We want to be playing these sorts of games. I know I keep sounding like a broken record but at the start of the season most of our fans and a good many outsiders would say I ought to be locked up if I’d said we’d be top and three points ahead of them (Shields) at this point in the season.”

It’s a battle of the two Phillips with South Shields having recently appointed former Premier League striker Kevin Phillips as their new manager in succession to Graeme Fenton, winning his first two games in charge.

The Matlock boss said: "I’ve utmost respect for a player who has achieved a hell of a lot at the top level and I’m really looking to pitting my wits against someone of his stature.

“When clubs bring in a new manager there’s often that new manager syndrome with good results to start off with because of the expectation. He’ll no doubt have done his homework and know what to expect from us. But let’s hope we can go up there and bring that winning run of his to an end.”

A bumper 3,000 crowd could be in attendance with Tuesday’s home game attracting 2378. When Matlock won there in October 2020, the crowd was restricted to only 300 because of Covid.

“If there’s going to be 3000 there, even better,” said the Town chief.

“If you’re not motivated to play in front of crowds like that, then you’re not in the right business.

"There’s not a lot between the teams as the last two or three matches between us have proved. They’re a good team make no mistake, they have good players and we have the utmost respect for the way they go about their business.

"But we’re going to go there and give it a go, there’s no point going there to defend for 90 minutes, we gave them too much respect at Matlock and didn’t start playing until the last 20 odd minutes after they’d scored.”

South Shields are the league’s only full time club so will fitness be an issue?

“I think we’re as fit as anyone, so far I don’t think anyone’s looked fitter than us,” said Phillips.

"The fact that they have no work all week is in their favour but maybe it puts a little more pressure on them? We’ll have to see but it’s a game we’re really looking forward to.”