A DANNY Holland penalty 11 minutes from time and fantastic goalkeeping from Jon Kennedy, including a penalty save, earned three Evo-Stik Premier Division points for Matlock Town.
The Gladiators had never won in the league at Wothorpe Road and this was their final visit to the ground before Stamford move into new facilities next month.
Three new signings featured in the Matlock squad. Grimsby Town loanees Ellis Humble and Caine Winfarrah were in the starting line-up, while striker Andre Johnson, formerly with Derby County's academy and more recently scorer of 16 goals for Worksop Town, was on the bench.
Matlock dominated the first half and all that was missing was a clinical finish. For all of their possession, they did not test home goalkeeper Andy Stevens enough.
The approach play was first class, particularly down the left with wing-back Winfarrah delivering enticing balls into the heart of the penalty box.
Holland fired over the bar from 20 yards in the fourth minute but, in an open game, Lawrence Gorman got in a crucial challenge on Nabil Shariff, who had found space on the edge of the Matlock penalty area.
Corey Gregory was forced off with a recurrence of his shoulder injury but his replacement, Phil Roe, combined with Charlie Dawes on the left only for Holland to fail to connect with the cross.
Stevens saved well from a low Dawes effort for the first of three quick corners, the pressure subsiding when Holland nodded wide.
Stamford barely threatened in the first half but increased the tempo after the interval and Richard Jones planted a header wide.
The decisive goal came when Dawes was sent tumbling by Jones for an obvious spot kick, confidently tucked away by captain Holland.
Two minutes later, though, the score should have been level when Adam Yates fouled Shariff for another undisputed penalty. Kennedy pulled off a fine stop, his first penalty save for the Gladiators, and Robbins blasted the loose ball high over the bar.
Substitute Joe Leesley set up Roe, who shot wide as Matlock sought to make the most of their good fortune with the penalty miss but Kennedy again came to their rescue with point-blank stops from Shariff and Robbins.
STAMFORD: Stevens, Clark, Jelleyman (Jackson, 80), Curtis, Jones, Bettles, Lawlor, Challinor, Bird, Shariff, Robbins. Other subs: Carr, McGowan, Mann, Staff.
MATLOCK TOWN: Kennedy, Gorman (Leesley, 72), Winfarrah, Yates, Harcourt, Humble, McManus, Ashmore, Holland, Dawes, Gregory (Roe, 16). Other subs: White, Johnson, Meade.
REFEREE: N Hopton (Derby).
ATTENDANCE: 257.
