Matlock Town produce a Boxing Day battering as they see off Ilkeston Town in derby

Remaye Campbell (no.10) wheels away after scoring Matlock's second. Photo: Andy Simpson-Nix.

Matlock Town produced a dominant performance from start to finish as they saw off county rivals Ilkeston Town 4-0 on Boxing Day.

The Gladiators controlled proceedings throughout and there could be no complaints from the visitors as to the final outcome on what was an unusually off day for Ian Deakin’s men.

And it made it five games unbeaten to see out 2024 for Matlock ahead of the trip to Leek on New Year’s Day.

Matlock had the better chances in the first-half, Montel Gibson seeing a header palmed away by keeper Matt Yates ten minutes in.

Montel Gibson celebrates scoring the opening goal. All photos by Andy Simpson-Nix.

Adam Clayton then saw a free-kick hit the post but on 19 minutes he would provide a terrific through ball for Gibson to run on to and the striker knocked the ball past the emerging Yates and ran on to roll it into the net.

The lead was then doubled on 29 minutes. Jake Thompson saw an effort cleared off the line but when the ball was recycled, Fouad Bachirou’s pinpoint cross found Remaye Campbell six yards out and he glanced the ball into the corner of the net.

Ilkeston’s best moment of the half came when ex-Gladiator George Wilkinson got his head to a corner but young goalkeeper Jake Oram produced a fine save to tip the ball wide.

A key turning point then came just after half-time when Ilkeston’s L’Varn Brandy missed a golden chance to reduce the arrears, striking the crossbar when unmarked in the middle after Matlock failed to clear a cross.

Montel Gibson and Jake Thompson celebrate the opener.

Barely two minutes later, Matlock killed the game off when Clayton’s corner found Charlie Oglesby and he headed home the third.

The fourth goal soon followed just before the hour mark, as Basile Zottos found Gibson whose first effort hit the crossbar but he was able to follow up to touch the ball over the line to complete the scoring.

Chances then became far fewer with the game effectively over as a contest, although Campbell saw a low shot strike the inside of the post, Ilkeston sub Ben Hutchinson hit the bar in the closing minutes and then Gibson was denied a hat-trick by a good save low down by Yates.

But Matlock’s work was done and in front of 1,323 people they sent the majority home happy with their efforts as they moved up to 12th in the league table.