Mark Hume says relegation-threatened Matlock Town must start taking their chances

With the bottom four clubs on 25th April set to go down, barring any reprieves which for the past few seasons have saved the likes of Frickley Athletic and Whitby Town among others, 17th-placed Matlock would be breathing a whole lot easier had they finished off the chances they created in last Wednesday week’s 1-1 draw at Whitby and in the 2-0 loss at third placed Ashton United last weekend.

The Gladiators lead fourth bottom Frickley by four points, but the Yorkshiremen have a game in hand.

“Not taking chances has bitten us on the bum, especially up at Whitby when they scored right at the end after we should have made it 2-0,” said Hume.

“Since I’ve been here we’ve always created chances and last weekend was the first time we’d lost by conceding more than one goal so we’ve done quite well defensively.

“But we need to start taking those chances to ease pressure on the back four, of course it’s far easier to see games out with a two or three goal lead.”

“You can’t task anything away from Ashton, they’re a good, strong side who’ll definitely make the play offs.

“But their first goal was an own goal which Julian (Banton) should probably have headed clear and the late second goal we reckon was a foul on Kendo.

“He’s got stud marks around his knee and eight out of ten times you tend to get those decisions going your way.

“But again we had great chances to score and I’d have expected Jamie (McDonagh) and Otis (Khan) to have scored them. We’re playing good football but we can’t go on missing chances.”

Matlock dropped a place in the standings after Witton Albion did their survival chances a world of good with home wins against Skelmersdale United and Rushall Olympic this week.

The rest of the Tuesday night results seemed to go largely the Gladiators’ way as Frickley and Marine had home draws against King’s Lynn and Blyth Spartans respectively, while both Stamford and Ramsbottom United both lost 1-0 at home in games against Curzon Ashton and Barwell.

A fantastic February for Matlock has been followed by a moderate March which has seen them win one, draw one and lose their other three matches before they welcome play off chasing Curzon Ashton to the Autoworld Arena on Saturday.

“To be honest a team of Curzon’s calibre should be going to Stamford and winning, with a bit of luck they might come to us thinking the same thing,” Hume said.

“But I repeat, I’m not interested in anyone else, it’s what we do that counts. Our good form last month has put what happens in our own hands, it’s there for us and we need to see it through.

“It’s down to us as players and management to do whats required. It should be a good game on Saturday, I feel we’re due some points because there’s been little wrong with our general performances, it’s just finishing those chances off.”