Report by Frank Bridges
ALFRETON’S second long trip to Cumbria in the space of five days on Saturday proved less profitable than Tuesday’s visit to Workington as they suffered their first defeat by Barrow in 10 years.
It was a difficult game for the Reds, whose equaliser from Paul Clayton in first half stoppage time came against the run of play, but cancelled out Chris Thompson’s contentious 34th minute penalty for the Bluebirds.
However, Nick Rogan ensured the points for the home side in the 75th minute, after which they shut up shop and Alfreton seemed to lack ideas to break them down.
Barrow’s management duo of Dave Bayliss and Darren Sheridan, who were both unused substitutes, had just been named Blue Square North managers of the month for March, but the customary associated curse failed to manifest itself, as the in-form home side never really looked in danger of losing.
The Reds took an unfamiliar looking back four of, from the right, Jordan Hall, Tony Butler, Mark Barnard and Kris Bowler to Holker Street.
Barrow threatened inside the first two minutes when, with Josh Law already lying injured, Matt Henney’s cross picked out Thompson at the back post, but Thompson ran the ball out of play.
Alfreton’s first chance in the eighth minute saw Law slip the ball through to Clayton, whose strong shot was fisted away by keeper Tim Deasy.
Barrow responded with a couple of corners, the first the result of Hall’s sound tackle back as Mark Boyd threatened, and when that one came across, Barnard headed behind for a follow-up flag kick from which home skipper Paul Jones’ header was just over the bar.
Law needed prolonged treatment for a second time in the 14th minute, going down injured just as Steve McNulty picked up a booking for a foul on Steve Warne.
Although Law resumed, he lasted just four minutes before making way for Danny Reet.
Former Sligo Rovers and Carlisle United midfielder Boyd aimed a 30-yard free kick just over the angle for the Bluebirds, and Lawrie Matthewson had to go down well to smother Andy Bond’s eight yard effort set up by Nick Rogan who had ridden Butler’s challenge well.
Henney glanced a six-yard header wide from Boyd’s deep free kick in the 31st minute, but three minutes later Barrow were ahead.
Rogan played Jason Walker through, and referee Peter Wright ruled, rather harshly, that Barnard had impeded Walker in the area. Thompson blasted the resulting spot kick into the roof of the net.
A by now rare Alfreton foray ended with Chris Walton firing well wide from 25 yards, but play was soon back in Reds’ territory and Butler was forced to head behind for a corner as Henney whipped in a useful looking centre.
However, a minute into stoppage time and against the run of play, Alfreton were on terms.
Warne’s pass brought a neat interchange between Walton and Dan Gray, leading to Walton’s 30-yarder clipping the heel of a defender and going for a corner. Bowler took the kick and picked out Clayton, whose strong header Deasy could only push in off his post.
But there was still time for Barrow to threaten again before half time, as Walker broke into the area only to see Matthewson hold his low shot.
Six minutes into the restart Barnard made a timely tackle on Henney to halt the midfielder’s dangerous run.
But Alfreton had two chances either side of the hour mark to go in front. First, on 58, Brian Cusworth’s run ended with a 22-yard shot that clipped the far post.
Then four minutes later Clayton’s 25-yard blockbuster struck Deasy’s chest and rebounded to Cusworth 10 yards out but with his back to goal. He laid off to Clayton who crossed to the far post, where Walton was crowded out and unable to capitlise.
Alfreton breathed a sigh of relief when Ryan Elderton’s probing cross just beat Walker for pace, then Matthewson competently held Boyd’s 20-yard attempt.
Reet tried his luck with a low angled drive which Deasy hung on to in the 74th minute, but a minute later Barrow regained the lead.
Henney’s run into the area was ended by Hall at the expense of a corner which Boyd took, and Rogan swivelled to lash home from 12 yards.
The remaining 15 minutes were disappointingly quiet with the Bluebirds content to sit on their lead against their bogey side, while Alfreton simply ran out of ideas.
And the only incident of note came in the fourth minute of overtime, when McNulty headed clear as Bowler’s centre looked to pick out lurking substitute Jason St Juste.
BARROW: Deasy, Woodyatt, Elderton, Jones, McNulty, Henney, Bond, Boyd, Walker (Tait 82), Rogan (Nelson 88), Thompson (Brown 59). Subs not used: Sheridan, Bayliss.
ALFRETON TOWN: Matthewson, Hall, Bowler, Walton, Butler, Barnard, Law (Reet 18), Warne, Cusworth (St Juste 86), Clayton (Glass 71), Gray. Subs not used: L. Wilson, Pacey.
REFEREE: Peter Wright of Southport.
ATTENDANCE: 1,062.
GOALS: Barrow – Thompson 34 (pen); Rogan 75. Alfreton – Clayton 45+1.
CAUTIONS: Barrow – McNulty 14 (foul on Warne); Bond 39 (foul on Walton); Thompson 56 (foul on Warne); Walker 69 (foul on Hall). Alfreton – Bowler 21 (foul on Boyd).
REDS MAN OF THE MATCH: Tony Butler.
