2006/2007 Season. Match no.32 - Conference North
Saturday, February 10th, 2007
Barrow 1, ALFRETON TOWN 1

ALFRETON’S new player-boss Marcus Ebdon gained his first point as the Reds returned from their long trip to Barrow with a well-earned draw.
Holker Street has been something of a happy hunting ground for Alfreton, indeed the Bluebirds have not now beaten the Reds in eight matches over the past four seasons.
But after Mark Rawle had given Town a 13th-minute lead, Ebdon - who restored himself to the starting line-up after completing a three match ban - was left to fume over the penalty decision which gave the Cumbrian side their equaliser 12 minutes later.
“I was extremely disappointed by that decision,” said Ebdon afterwards. “The positioning of the referee was not good and for me he blew far too early.
“It was still a good point, but after the first 15 minutes of good football we stopped playing.
“We did exactly the same in the second half, yet we are a far better side when we keep playing football.”
The implication was seemingly that had the Reds played the whole match as they did the early stages of each half they may have won it, but the penalty completed the afternoon’s scoring.
Barrow were straight out of the trap and Dale Roberts was forced into saving action after just 11 seconds, from Nick Rogan’s direct run and shot.
When Alfreton attacked for the first time Steve Ridley’s intervention prevented Mark Barnard’s through ball from reaching the well-placed Emeka Nwadike.
Ryan Clarke’s tame shot did not match his surging run forward, and Tris Whitman also finished weakly from six yards after Ebdon’s sublime crossfield pass had enabled Ashley Burbeary to put over an accurate centre.
However, Alfreton ‘s travelling fans were celebrating in the 13th minute. Clarke crossed from the right, Ashley Timms fumbled Burbeary’s volley, and Rawle pounced to send the ball bobbling over the line in slow motion.
Three minutes later Bluebirds striker Matt Bailey had the ball in the net, but to their fury the goal was disallowed. The ball had come back to him for a simple tap in after Clarke had headed against his own post, but presumably it was his earlier positioning that was punished.
That marked the start of a more purposeful attacking period by the home side, and when Paul Brown tried to play Rogan through it needed a brilliant tackle back from Nwadike to cut it out. Before the clearance could be completed Mike Stringfellow unleashed a 30-yard howitzer that Roberts was grateful to turn for a corner.
Burbeary breathed again in the 21st minute when a sharp cross from Stuart Howson struck Burbeary’s hand in the penalty area. The home side’s strong appeals were waved aside on that occasion, but the referee was pointing to the spot three minutes later.
Rogan , through on goal, was adjudged to have been nudged off the ball by Clarke. Surprisingly the Reds wing back escaped without even a word, but Ridley ensured that the offence was punished when he slotted the resulting penalty.
Apart from a strong run by Whitman which was ended by Dave Bayliss’ well-timed challenge, Alfreton never really looked like threatening again before half time, wheareas Rogan had one shot blocked by Nwadike and another held by Roberts.
On the restart Paul Brown scuffed a good chance wide after good work by Bailey and Rogan, while at the other end Nathan Winder, so solid in defence all match, appeared for a pot shot from Clarke’s cross, but Timms was equal to it.
Bayliss headed just wide for Barrow, and Roberts did well to hold an awkward downward header from Bailey after Stringfellow supplied the centre.
Roberts had to be alert again to keep hold of an effort from Mike Eckersley, which took a potentially dangerous deflection.
Stringfellow and Rogan both went close, but hearts were in mouths in the 76th minute. Tommy Hannigan, who had earlier been booked for kicking the ball away, was spoken to at some length by the referee for what seemed a bad foul on Bailey, but the official mercifully kept his cards in his pocket.
Alfreton still threatened on the breakaway, and Rawle almost got the ball to Burbeary – Ridley managed to intervene and hook it away for a corner.
In the closing stages substitute Colin Potts’ stinging angled drive was parried by Roberts, and Barnard headed clear a free kick from the same player as Alfreton held on for a ground-out point.
BARROW: Timms, Eckersley (Potts 81), Ridley, Jones, Bayliss, Howson, Stringfellow, Sheridan, Bailey, Rogan, P. Brown. Subs not used: Black, Heffernan, Butler, Speare.
ALFRETON: Roberts, Clarke, Barnard, Hannigan, Winder, Nwadike, Burbeary, Ebdon (A. Brown 70), Whitman, Rawle, Tiday. Subs not used: Reeves, Glass, Sleath, Harcourt.
REFEREE: R. L. Metcalfe of Preston.
ATTENDANCE: 696.
GOALS: Barrow – Ridley 25 pen. Alfreton – Rawle 13.
CAUTIONS: Barrow – Howson 78 (foul); Bayliss 90 (foul). Alfreton – Nwadike 28 (foul); Hannigan 51 (unsporting conduct); Whitman 66 (foul).
REDS MAN OF THE MATCH: Nathan Winder.