Boss Carruthers delighted as Matlock Town bounce back with a win at FC United of Manchester

The away win at Broadhurst Park came after two defeats in a row on the road in the previous week, Karl Demidh scoring twice and Nathan Whitehead the other as the Gladiators moved to within a point of the play-off places.

And speaking after the game, Carruthers paid tribute to his squad.

He said: “I’m absolutely delighted. We’d had two defeats on the road but I said to the lads that we hadn’t played badly in those games and certainly didn’t deserve to lose 4-0 at Guiseley, so I just said to keep doing the same things and we’d get our rewards.

"In the first-half we were excellent – they never really threatened us. In the second-half they threw the kitchen sink at us but we got the third goal on the counter.”

With top scorer Jonathan Margetts still on the injured list, Demidh stepped up with a brace and his manager was full of praise.

Carruthers said: “Karl’s got himself two goals – he wasn’t fully fit and has been ill in the week so it’s nice to know there are other goalscorers there with Margs still out.

"We lost Harry Wood and young Fin Armond but credit to the lads who have come in and proved we can win away from home.

"It’s important to come here and keep the big crowd quiet but it’s also a platform for our lads to showcase themselves and they didn’t let us down at all.

"We wanted a clean sheet but they got two and it was backs to the wall at the end but we showed great character.”

Attention now turns to a return home and the visit of Lancaster City on Saturday, before the Gladiators then make the long trip to Whitby Town next Tuesday night – that coming ahead of a free Saturday on December 9.

Carruthers said: “It’s been tough being in Manchester, Leeds then Manchester again this week and it’s mentally draining so I feel sorry for the lads who are also working, but we’ve got a home game now to try and build on today and we should have players back soon too, including Margs for the Shirebrook game, so we’ll have good competition for places too which is what we want.”