Matlock Town manager Mark Hume takes positives from festive results

MATLOCK TOWN boss Mark Hume is taking the positives from the Gladiators’ Christmas results ahead of the New Year.

Hume’s men went down to a disappointing 2-1 home defeat on Boxing Day to Buxton after having captain Ted Cribley sent off.

Matlock recovered on Bank Holiday Monday and recorded a brilliant three points at Ilkeston, inflicting only the second home defeat of the season on the Robins.

The sending off in the Buxton game, as well as the Bucks’ controversial equaliser, left Hume feeling hard done by but he was delighted with his side’s response at Ilkeston as they head into New Year in a relatively comfortable mid-table spot.

He said: “A point against Buxton would have been fair. The difference was that their numbers nine and ten took their chances and we didn’t.

“The referee was poor, he didn’t give us one single thing all afternoon. Ok, it was an error by George (Willis, keeper) leading up to the equaliser, but he was also fouled and the referee totally ignored that. Ted did a silly thing and he knows that but again the initial offence went unpunished.

“It was a good reaction at Ilkeston, we played well but again we missed chances to kill them off. Ilkeston are a good young side, they keep the ball well but they didn’t hurt us and that’s down to our hard work.

“Everyone put in a good shift, we had to work hard for don’t forget we were playing a full-time side. There were some very good performances out there, Craig Nelthorpe was brilliant as was Adam Yates in the second half.

“It was important we won after Saturday yet if you look at it from the point of view that two draws would have been good, we’re better off points wise winning one and losing one.”