Jonathan Margetts’ stellar season in front of goal continued, with the striker scoring twice as Matlock overcame 10-man Atherton Collieries 3-1 at the Skuna Stadium on Saturday.
Margetts’ new strike partner, Scott Boden, also struck for the visitors, who rallied from a goal down after Enock Lusiama had opened the scoring for Colls early on.
In a fixture played a week later than originally billed, fans did not have to wait long for the game’s opening goal once the action eventually got under way as the in-form Lusiama found the net less than 10 minutes in with his sixth goal in seven matches.
But what had been a solid first-half for the hosts would become something of a nightmare in the closing stages, as Margetts headed home to draw Matlock level.
That was swiftly followed by a red card for debutant defender Lewis Thompson, who was ruled to have denied Gladiators forward Boden a clear goalscoring opportunity.
The visitors would not take long to make that numerical advantage count, as Margetts bundled home his second of the game shortly after the break.
It was then Boden’s turn to poke home from close range to make it 3-1, with the experienced striker marking his first Matlock start with a goal.
And what had been a lively game would ultimately end 10 men apiece, with Matlock substitute Oliver Clark given his marching orders late on for a horror challenge on Lewis Coulton.
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