It's one step forward, three steps back for Boro

From the first kick - 15 minutes late, due to Boro getting stuck in traffic - to last, the visitors were second best against a team that had yet to win at home.

With Richard Battersby unavailable Gary Sampson started in midfield, but he and his colleagues were overran, leaving strikers Phil Denney and Steve Foster lacking service and support, and the defence under constant pressure which increased as the game wore on.

Boro began looking as though their minds were still in the Buxton traffic jam that had ensnared them.

Town's Simon Barraclough had a chance as early as the second minute, with Danny Hurst forced into a save from Craig Hopkins a minute later.

Boro's defence was all at sea and neat Town approach work set up Kris Bowler, but he skied his shot when well placed.

Steve Hill then put in a timely cover tackle on the dangerous Bowler and Leroy Chambers was twice foiled by Hurst.

Twenty minutes had elapsed before Boro's first attempt on goal, Foster hooking a shot wide from James Price's long through ball.

Andy Heald's driven cross eluded everyone and then on 22 minutes Boro fell behind to a bizarre but well taken goal.

It stemmed from a Boro attack which saw Town goalkeeper Kevin Tye save Lee Duffy's shot. His clearance upfield was controlled by Barraclough, who then lobbed the back-tracking Hurst from 35 yards.

Things went from bad to worse and within three minutes Bowler, Barraclough and Chambers all raced clear but were unable to find a way past Hurst.

Boro's closet effort came five minutes before the break when Duffy spotted Tye off his line and floated a well judged shot on to the bar.

After the break Chambers got through but his shot was blocked and Duffy put in a telling tackle as Bowler threatened.

Boro popped sporadically in the Town half but fell further behind on 52 minutes when Chambers' clever flick put Ian Clarke in the clear and Simon Kelly was forced to haul him down. Clarke picked himself up to score with ease from the penalty spot.

Duffy followed Andy Heald into the referee's notebook and things got worse as Foster spurned two decent chances after being set up by Simon Carden and then Hill.

Any lingering hopes Boro may have had of a revival disappeared when Duffy received a second yellow card, followed by the obligatory red, after a late tackle in the 72nd minute, the incident sparking a melee with a dozen players involved.

Boro had by this time lost the thread and six minutes later Barraclough completed the scoring, beating Hurst with an angled shot.

Matlock were by now rampant and Barraclough three times almost completed his hat-trick, with Bowler and substitute Lee Handbury also going close.

Arguably the only consolation to be found in such a lacklustre performance was the return from injury of centre back Paul Challinor, who got back into action as a second half substitute.

On Tuesday night Boro face another tough trip, away to Bamber Bridge, kick-off 7.45pm.

BORO: Hurst, Duffy, Sampson, Kelly, Heald, Hill, Wilson, Carden, Denney, Foster, Price. Subs: Patterson (for Kelly, 50), Challinor (for Price, 45).

IAN HANNAY

UniBond Premier Division

P W D L F A Pts

Workington... 13 10 1 2 28 7 31

Hyde Utd... 12 8 4 0 22 7 28

Leek Tn... 12 8 3 1 28 12 27

Whitby Tn... 13 7 3 3 20 20 24

Burscough... 12 7 2 3 28 22 23

Prescot C... 12 6 1 5 21 18 19

Ossett Tn... 14 5 4 5 24 22 19

Witton A... 11 4 5 2 14 9 17

S'moor Utd... 13 4 5 4 18 21 17

Guiseley... 11 4 4 3 22 19 16

B'lington Tn... 14 3 7 4 18 17 16

Matlock Tn... 12 4 3 5 19 22 15

Bamber B... 13 4 3 6 18 26 15

Farsley C... 12 4 2 6 17 14 14

Lincoln Utd... 12 4 2 6 17 16 14

Wakefield-E... 12 4 2 6 20 29 14

RADCLIFFE... 11 3 4 4 11 15 13

Blyth Spars... 13 3 3 7 12 17 12

Bishop A... 13 2 4 7 19 28 10

Marine... 13 1 6 6 13 23 9

Gateshead... 12 2 3 7 17 30 9

Frickley Ath... 12 1 5 6 9 21 8

THIS was definitely an afternoon to forget.

From the first kick - 15 minutes late, due to Boro getting stuck in traffic - to last, the visitors were second best against a team that had yet to win at home.

With Richard Battersby unavailable Gary Sampson started in midfield, but he and his colleagues were overran, leaving strikers Phil Denney and Steve Foster lacking service and support, and the defence under constant pressure which increased as the game wore on.

Boro began looking as though their minds were still in the Buxton traffic jam that had ensnared them.

Town's Simon Barraclough had a chance as early as the second minute, with Danny Hurst forced into a save from Craig Hopkins a minute later.

Boro's defence was all at sea and neat Town approach work set up Kris Bowler, but he skied his shot when well placed.

Steve Hill then put in a timely cover tackle on the dangerous Bowler and Leroy Chambers was twice foiled by Hurst.

Twenty minutes had elapsed before Boro's first attempt on goal, Foster hooking a shot wide from James Price's long through ball.

Andy Heald's driven cross eluded everyone and then on 22 minutes Boro fell behind to a bizarre but well taken goal.

It stemmed from a Boro attack which saw Town goalkeeper Kevin Tye save Lee Duffy's shot. His clearance upfield was controlled by Barraclough, who then lobbed the back-tracking Hurst from 35 yards.

Things went from bad to worse and within three minutes Bowler, Barraclough and Chambers all raced clear but were unable to find a way past Hurst.

Boro's closet effort came five minutes before the break when Duffy spotted Tye off his line and floated a well judged shot on to the bar.

After the break Chambers got through but his shot was blocked and Duffy put in a telling tackle as Bowler threatened.

Boro popped sporadically in the Town half but fell further behind on 52 minutes when Chambers' clever flick put Ian Clarke in the clear and Simon Kelly was forced to haul him down. Clarke picked himself up to score with ease from the penalty spot.

Duffy followed Andy Heald into the referee's notebook and things got worse as Foster spurned two decent chances after being set up by Simon Carden and then Hill.

Any lingering hopes Boro may have had of a revival disappeared when Duffy received a second yellow card, followed by the obligatory red, after a late tackle in the 72nd minute, the incident sparking a melee with a dozen players involved.

Boro had by this time lost the thread and six minutes later Barraclough completed the scoring, beating Hurst with an angled shot.

Matlock were by now rampant and Barraclough three times almost completed his hat-trick, with Bowler and substitute Lee Handbury also going close.

Turn to page ??

Arguably the only consolation to be found in such a lacklustre performance was the return from injury of centre back Paul Challinor, who got back into action as a second half substitute.

BORO: Hurst, Duffy, Sampson, Kelly, Heald, Hill, Wilson, Carden, Denney, Foster, Price. Subs: Patterson (for Kelly, 50), Challinor (for Price, 45).

It's one step forward and three steps back for Boro