Jamie Jackson rescued a point for Matlock who were heading unceremoniously for a fifth successive defeat against fellow strugglers Worksop.

The Gladiators were deep in trouble against the ten men from Bassetlaw who had established a two goal lead by the 71st minute.

But then it was time for Jackson to shine like a beacon through the foggy gloom and amazingly by the 76th minute, Matlock were level.

And his equalising goal was sheer class, a quality Jackson has but does not show enough of.

He can be a real matchwinner for Matlock when he is in the mood.

Matlock's fans, who were in raptures with the goal, will be hoping that new boss Mark Atkins can extract this ability from him on a more consistent basis.

On the whole though it was a scrappy affair and it was easy to see that both teams are in trouble towards the bottom end of the table.

A draw was a fair result and in the whole scheme of things, it did little for either club. Matlock though, will feel the happier, having looked dead and buried at two goals down.

Matlock gave a debut to centre half Aiden Flint, signed on a month's loan from Alfreton on Friday, but he could not play alongside Rob Pacey as expected as Pacey missed out having a dose of sickness and diahorrea.

With Ryan Laight suspended, Liam King and Matty Caudwell were the full backs with Lee Featherstone partnering Flint.

Captain Steve Warne was back in the midfield as the rest of the side was unchanged.

Matlock immediately swept forward as the fog closed in with Warne firing at Steve Hernandez from distance before the goalkeeper was well placed to hold an effort from Jackson following an intelligent knock down from Dene Cropper.

A Paul Riley free kick from a central position 25 yards out was deflected wide before Worksop broke at pace and Andy White thumped a header straight at Richmond from a right wing centre by Chris Glarvey.

A foul by Barraclough on Galloway brought the game's first yellow card and by the 14th minute, the visitors' Chris Adam had joined him for a mistimed challenge on Liam King.

Even at this early stage there was a feeling that referee Mr Howitt, who had sent off two Kendal players in his last visit to Causeway Lane in April, did not have a lot of intention in letting the game finish with all 22 players on the field.

Matlock were enjoying the lion's share of the play in a much improved overall performance from the defeat at Frickley.

Barraclough forced Hernandez into a low save to his right before a Jackson centre was headed out for a corner.

But the best chance so far fell to Worksop as Matlock failed to get in a telling challenge on White and the lanky striker squeezed a low cross shot from the right narrowly beyond the back post.

Then Matlock had a great chance themselves when Barraclough found himself clear of the trailing Tigers rearguard but Hernandez held his nerve to smother the shot in the one on one contest.

That miss proved to be costly, particularly as Matlock cannot keep a clean sheet and they are never likely to if they continue with such hapless defending as witnessed for Worksop's opening goal in the 43rd minute.

Winger Adam cut in from the left in a mazy run and as the home defenders dived in, his task was made far easier as he was left with a clear opening which he took emphatically, drilling a low 16 yard shot past Richmond.

So once again Matlock had made life difficult for themselves.

With the fog enveloping Causeway Lane even more, referee Howitt made Matlock change from blue to yellow shirts for the second half which began with Matlock straight on the offensive with Barraclough having a goalbound shot well blocked.

Life should have got easier for Matlock when in a rush of blood, Tigers defender Andy Boyce flung Barraclough to the floor to get first use of the shower seven minutes into the second half.

But Matlock could not get going effectively and they could even have gone two goals down, had not Richmond pulled off a fine save from a Ben Tomlinson header.

Tomlinson though, in his first league game for the Tigers, having grabbed a brace in the midweek 3-0 League Cup triumph at Ossett, looked to have put the game out of Matlock's reach in the 71st minute.

Again it was more calamitious defending by Matlock as Flint tarnished a promising start with a weak header back which Tomlinson intercepted before scoring easily.

Credit though where credit is due and it goes to Jackson and Matlock for a terrific recovery.

On 75 minutes, Caudwell lofted a cross in from the left which JACKSON cleverly prodded into the corner.

In the very next attack he cut through the heart of the visitors defence in a superb run where the ball looked to be stuck to him and then he had the presence of mind to show fantastic composure to slot a great finish into the corner for a quite brilliant individual goal.

So, from looking well and truly out of it, Matlock had emerged as red hot favourites to go on and win the match in the space of a minute.

Matlock at last got on top with Jackson on top of his game and Caudwell getting forward to cross well from the left.

One centre by the ex-Worksop winger found another former Tiger in Cropper whose powerful header was staright down Hernandez's throat.

But the hard working Gareth Holmes was steadying the ship for Worksop who in stoppage time were reduced to nine men.

Substitute Kevin Sanasay believed he had been fouled in the Matlock half and he hurled a torrent of abuse at assistant Colin Barraclough who instantly raised his flag, and the red card, particularly from an official like Mr Howitt, was inevitable.

There was one last chance for Matlock to sneak all three points and a first league double of the campaign but a Barraclough effort flashed narrowly wide.

In truth, Matlock did not deserve the extra two points, however welcome they would have been.

Like in a lot of matches recently, it showed the urgent need for experience and leadership on the field, plus a need not to give aay cheap goals.

Worksop always looked as if they would concede, but so did Matlock. Had the hosts shown a little more concentration with their defensive work, the three points could so easily have been theirs.

Matlock Town: Richmond, King, Caudwell, Thorpe, Flint, Featherstone, Jackson, Warne, Cropper, Barraclough, Riley (Harrison 73).
Other subs: Pendleton, Webster, Benger.
Referee: A Howitt (Grantham)
Attendance: 249
Star man: Jamie Jackson.