Matlock Town 1
Morpeth Town 2
Matlock Town fell back into the Pitching In Northern Premier Division relegation zone with an early goal not enough against Morpeth Town.
The afternoon got off to a perfect start for the Gladiators with a Terry Bondo header beating Dan Langley after just three minutes.
Matlock remained on top but their pressure tailed off in the second half and they were ultimately punished - conceding two comical goals in the final half hour.
Morpeth equalised when a Matlock clearance struck Nathan Buddle and flew in, and then with eight minutes remaining miscommunication between goalkeeper Ellis Litherland and centre back Charlie Oglesby resulted in the latter header the ball into his own net.
Kick-Off
Despite coming into the game outside the relegation zone on only goal difference, the hosts were quick out of the blocks against 7th place Morpeth and were rewarded for this inside three minutes.
A Jack Stobbs cross was met by a towering header from Bondo which beat Langley at his near post for a goal on his first Matlock start for the Blackpool loanee. This was the first goal Morpeth have conceded on their travels since January.
Five minutes later Jeremie Milambo teed up Montel Gibson who struck a snapshot from the edge of the box that was parried away and then gathered by Langley.
Ten minutes later Bondo went close to netting a second with the 18-year-old lashing a volley over after Oglesby had headed a Stobbs free kick his way.
Just past the 30-minute mark Bondo again threatened, this time sending a flicked header off target from a Gibson cross.
It wasn't until the stroke of half-time that the away side came close to scoring with a Nic Bollado attempt going agonisingly wide.
Half-Time: Matlock Town 1-0 Morpeth Town
The second half began with Matlock again the stronger side and six minutes after the restart Bondo was again left frustrated at being unable to add to his tally.
A Liam Ravenhill corner deflected off Matlock skipper Josh Granite and into Bondo who controlled the ball nicely before thumping an effort off the crossbar from six yards out.
This miss would come back to haunt Adam Clayton's side as just past the hour mark Morpeth equalised.
A deep free kick was headed back across goal by Sam Hodgson and a Matlock clearance ricocheted off Morpeth defender Buddle and flew in to level the score in bizarre fashion.
The game was balanced on a knife's edge after this until eight minutes from time when Morpeth took the lead.
Miscommunication at the back from Matlock led to Litherland running off his goal line to gather a long ball whilst Oglesby headed the ball back to where he thought his 'keeper was, only to see the ball roll into his own net.
In injury time Matlock threw everything they could at Morpeth and four minutes into injury time went inches away from an equaliser.
A Stobbs cross was headed back across goal by Oglesby but substitute Elliott Whitehouse couldn't quite stretch enough to make contact with the ball which went behind for a goal kick, sentencing the Gladiators to just a second home defeat in the league since October.
Full-Time: Matlock Town 1-2 Morpeth Town
A ninth game without a win against Morpeth for Matlock, twinned with Whitby winning late on at Lancaster, sees the Derbyshire club fall back into the bottom four.
They are now three points adrift with four games left to play.
As for Morpeth they are now six games unbeaten on the road as the Highwaymen head back to the North East still in 7th and ten points off the playoffs.
Next up for Matlock is a trip to Hyde United before facing high-flyers Worksop Town and Ilkeston Town over the Easter weekend.
As for Morpeth they could relegate Basford United next weekend ahead of their Easter double header when they face Stockton Town and Workington respectively.
Matlock: Litherland, Stobbs, Milambo (Smart 76'), Bachirou, Granite, Oglesby, Ravenhill, Noel-Williams (Whitehouse 80'), Gibson, Thompson, Bondo (Wilson 80'). Subs not used: Fry, Alexander.
Goals: Bondo 3'
Yellow Cards: Thompson 61'
Morpeth: Langley, Evans, Robson, Dowling (Follin 90+5'), Henderson, Buddle, Foalle (Barlow 73'), Hodgson, James (Chater 90+3'), Bollado (Hodgson 61'), Gibson-Booth.
Goals: Buddle 63', Oglesby O.G. 82'
Yellow Cards: Robson 45+2', Barlow 84'
ATT: 787
By Nathan Williams
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