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Town out to end Mariners' curse
MATLOCK Town must overcome the team that has proved a thorn in their side for almost 30 years if their bid to beat the drop is to keep its momentum.
The Gladiators have beaten Marine just three times at home since the sides first met in season 1979/80.
The Merseysiders will arrive at Causeway Lane just days after ending an awful run of eight successive league defeats, having beaten Prescot Cables 2-1 on Tuesday night.
"They're Scousers who will battle and they have good players who've come from higher leagues that I've come across in the past," warned Matlock manager Mark Atkins.
"However, I'm more interested in what we do and how we play and on our day we're a match for anyone. I will say though that I was pleased that Marine managed the win at Prescot.
"Having lost eight or nine on the trot, they were going to win that first game for a while sooner or later and I'm glad they haven't got the chance to do that against us."
With the Gladiators out of action in midweek they were also pleased to see Cammell Laird fail to overhaul them after a surprise defeat by Leigh Genesis.
Atkins was unhappy that his side could only manage a point against the Lairds last weekend, especially as the hosts were reduced to ten men after just half an hour.
"I was very disappointed on Saturday, for given the way we'd been playing I expected us to go up there and get the win, and especially with the way that the game went with the sending off coming relatively early on. I was upset with the two goals we let in and we just didn't do enough. We lacked that bit of extra guile around their box and we just didn't get enough balls wide and then in their box."
On-loan Danny Davidson, unavailable last weekend because of a family illness, is expected to return to the squad, while a former Matlock favourite has found his way back to the Lane and made the bench in Birkenhead.
Midfielder Ian Clarke last played for the Gladiators three years ago before suffering a cruciate ligament injury.
Having fought his way back to fitness, training with Gainsborough Trinity and playing local league football with Renishaw., Clarke impressed Atkins in last week's trial game against Matlock's U19s and was named as an unused substitute at Cammell Laird.
Lee Featherstone is suspended for the visit of Marine, but should be back for Tuesday's visit to table-topping Eastwood Town, who could include two former top Gladiators strikers in their line up in Ian Holmes and Danny Holland.
l ADMISSION prices for the Derbyshire Senior Cup Final between the Gladiators and Buxton at Derby County's Pride Park stadium on Tuesday April 28 (7.45 pm) have been announced.
They are 8 for adults, 5 concessions and 2 for children aged 16 and under. A half time penalty shoot-out for youngsters is also set to take place.
l PREPARATIONS for the fun game with Derby County Veterans at Causeway Lane on Sunday April 26 are well in hand with the Matlock side expected to include current boss Mark Atkins, a former Premiership title winner with Blackburn Rovers in 1994/95 plus some of his contacts and former Gladiators favourites in Everton Marsh, Craig Thompson, Phil Greaves and Stuart Franklin, amongst others.
Fans can bid to play for the ten places available with five each having 45 minutes on the field, starting at 50. Bids can be made by contacting organiser Stuart Briddon on 07814 199025.
Saturday April 4 (3pm)
Matlock Town v Marine
Tuesday April 7 (7.45pm)
Eastwood Town v Matlock Town
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Weather for Bakewell
Friday 25 May 2012
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