Atkins - "Matlock Back On Track"

According to boss Mark Atkins, two wins and two clean sheets has done much to right the wrongs of Matlock Town's first two games.

But Atkins also says that there is still hard work to be done.

After conceding five goals in contests against Ashton United and Chasetown which yielded a solitary point, an Ian Holmes penalty saw the Gladiators sneak past visiting Kendal Town last Saturday. Then in a more expansive performance, Town dominated at Frickley Athletic on Tuesday and should have won more emphatically than by the two goals scored by Tyeisse Nightingale and James Lukic.

"The Frickley performance was a step up from Saturday's " said Atkins. "The last two performances have been about trying to put right what was wrong in those first two games and I think we've gone a long way to doing that. But we can improve. I pointed out one or two things to the players afterwards and there's still things we need to work on, so I'm not getting on top of the world."

This may have the perception of a typically cautious manager's approach, but under the surface Atkins is delighted with his squad.

"Kendal always give you a tough game and if anything their squad this season looks stronger than ever. Our objective was a clean sheet and if we. It might not have been the best game to watch got that I thought we'd be okay for a win. I have to give the lads the utmost credit for they did everything we asked of them perfectly to plan. It might not have been the best game to watch, but we needed to be compact and tight. if we'd gone too often there was a danger of being beaten."

Goalkeeper Jon Kennedy was seldom troubled in spite of Kendal having the lion's share of the second half play.

"Possibly we played better in the first two games attacking wise but every game's different and sometimes you can't play great football, you need to grind a result out. The first win was vital to us, the players were very determined and showed great commitment in a game between two well matched teams."

Atkins said his side put in "a great away performance" at Frickley, where in a purple second half nine minutes patch, they could have scored five times. Chris Bettney hit both the post and bar with separate free kicks, just two of the near escapes for the hosts whose goal led a charmed life.

"It was a solid display, we were always on top" he continued. "Jon had just one shot to save and we didn't give them any clear chances. As for us had those chances gone in we'd have run away with it. I think it was a case of us being unlucky as Chris' two free kicks were brilliant efforts. The goalkeeper's also made some great saves. The clean sheet's also very pleasing. I stressed to the lads beforehand that I wanted another one after Saturday and hopefully we can now go into the games coming up with some confidence. Two wins, six out of six points, you can't really ask for more."

So Matlock head for Marine on Saturday and complete their Bank Holiday programme at home to Mickleover Sports on Monday night (7.45 pm).

After winning their first three games, the Mariners lost their first game of the season at home to Northwich Victoria on Tuesday night. Meanwhile Mickleover inflicted a league double over the Gladiators last season, so Matlock will be looking to set the record straight this term.

Defender Simon Sturdy missed the last two games with a back injury which looks as if it still might keep him out of both matches. Kris Bowler (back) and Lee Featherstone (ankle) have minor knocks but should recover, as should Bettney, who played on Tuesday in spite of suffering from tonsilitis.

Good news for Atkins is that Ben Algar's international clearance after his short spell in the USA is closer to being received and there is a chance he will be available for the bank Holiday games.

One player who may be on the way out of the Reynolds Stadium is winger Ryan Mallon. Frickley have put in seven days notice of approach on Mallon who joined Matlock from Worksop Town last March.

"I've given them permission to talk to Ryan so it's up to him to decide what he wants to do" Atkins explained.