Déjà vu as Tigers maul Gladiators once again

Matlock Town will be glad to see the back of Worksop Town this season, after suffering another brutal beating at the hands of Tigers.

Thursday night’s 5-1 mauling at Causeway Lane followed the 6-1 demolition Worksop gave the Gladiators earlier this season, as Steve Towers notched a hat-trick.

This Worksop team may have fallen short of their play-off target, but they’ve provided many highlights for the club’s loyal supporters, the games against Matlock included.

On a dry, bobbly pitch, Tigers kicked off facing the low, setting sun.

Cecil Nyoni had the game’s first effort on goal, heading tamely from the edge of the box and failing to test Myles Wright in the Matlock goal.

And it was Worksop who took the lead on nine minutes, with a fantastic goal.

Steve Towers sent the ball to the right for Craig King, the winger fed Matt Young and he slipped it back to Towers on the edge of the box, the midfielder hammering a curling drive past Wright.

There was little else in the way of goalmouth chances at either end, until the half hour mark when King’s left foot shot trundled along the ground and Wright saved.

Worksop should have doubled their lead when King found Roe’s incisive run and he dinked it to an unmarked Young at the back post, but he skied his shot.

Seconds later, it was 2-0, Modest crossing brilliantly and Denton rising to beat his marker and head home goal number 21 of the season.

The second half was 10 minutes old when a corner to the back post was poorly defended by the visitors and substitute David Edge had a free header to make it 2-1.

Denton’s header through fell kindly for Modest, but he sent his shot soaring over the bar.

Towers made no mistake however on 65 minutes, making it 3-1 with a header after Clarke had stormed forward, King crossed from the right and Denton nodded back.

With 19 minutes left Towers secured his hat-trick.

Denton sprang King free, the winger scampered into the box and pulled it back for Towers to stroke home.

Bastock was finally called into action again with 10 minutes remaining, palming away James Travis’ stinging drive.

Tigers substitute Lee Potts half volleyed home to make it 5-1, after taking a fine chest down from Denton.

The game finished on a sour note, with two red cards in stoppage time.

Miller beat McMahon in the tackle, the Matlock man kicked out at him and when Miller got back to his feet he reacted, landing a punch, both players trooping off for an early bath.