2005/06 season match No.37
Saturday, February 18th, 2006
Nationwide North
Alfreton Town 2, Barrow 1
Match report by Gordon Foster (Mansfield CHAD) Pics by Phil Lucic


THE late Harold Wilson, when Prime Minister, famously said: “A week is a long time in politics.”
As a Huddersfield Town fan, he will have understood that it is not only in politics that time can move so quickly.
Last week the fans’ patience was exhausted – a walk-out at Stalybridge preceded calls for the head of player-manager Gary Mills.
Seven days later Mills left the field to prolonged applause by those same supporters when he was withdrawn in the 71st minute.
The fans will know – they have seen it so often – that one swallow doesn’t make a summer. But they will give credit where it is due, and they gave credit to the Reds’ much better performance as Barrow suffered their first ever defeat at Alfreton.
Holker Street tends to be a happy hunting ground for the Reds, but they have never quite managed to see off the Bluebirds in their own back yard.
However, two well-taken goals by skipper Dave Robinson, who had his best game so far in an Alfreton shirt, changed all that.
It would not be Alfreton, though, if they did not end up making their supporters sweat, as a goalkeeping error gifted the visitors an 81st-minute lifeline.
Thereafter Barrow went all out for an equaliser, and it was hang-on time as far as the home side were concerned.
Mills acknowledged that in his after-match comments, but was nevertheless full of praise for his side, and for Robinson in particular.
“David Robinson showed today why I rate him as such a good player,” said the manager. “He led by example as captain and deserved his two goals.
“People will point to the fact that our goals are coming from the back, but at this stage it doesn’t matter who gets them as long as we win. Robinson was in rhe right place at the right time for both goals, but both came from set pieces won by Chris Bettney and Michael Rankine, and although the front men didn’t score they were still a handful for the Barrow defence.
“However, when we’ve dominated a game as we did we have to make sure we are not hanging on at the end, because we almost threw it away, and that’s happened too often this season.”
The introduction of young Boston United loanee Lewis Brooks at left back enabled Mills to revert to what he has always insisted is his favoured 4-4-2 formation.
That freed Lee Featherstone of his defensive duties and added the balance to the left side to be able to play that shape successfully.
“It’s no co-incidence that we won the matches when Paul Smith played because we were a balanced, effective unit,” added Mills. “Paul chose to walk away, and we haven’t had that balance again until today, and it made all the difference.”
Last week was forgotten as the Reds pushed forward early on, and they drew first blood after only seven minutes. Brooks played a fine ball along the left to Bettney who won and took a corner, and Robinson soared majestically at the far post to bury a bullet header.
For much of the first quarter of the match Barrow barely got out of their own half – nothing ultra-defensive from the Reds here - and on the occasions when the visitors did manage to do so the home defenders, especially the central pairing of Robinson and Mark Turner, were well on top of the job.
It did become more of an even contest from the midway point in the first half – even so Simon Rayner was never unduly extended, and it was the Reds who almost doubled their lead seven minutes before the break.
Ryan Clarke played an intelligent pass forward to Michael Rankine who flicked the ball over James Cotterill then, as keeper Simon Bishop came, he lobbed over him too, only to see the ball rebound off the foot of the post.
It was a let-off for Barrow, and they had another just before the break as clever footwork by Jon Stevenson freed him of three defenders in one go in the right of the area, but his shot went behind off another as Barrow called all hands to the pump at the back.
The visitors sounded an early warning that they were not prepared to go on playing second fiddle when they emerged after half time, and twice Steve Ridley caused problems with telling crosses. Robinson got the first one away, and Neil Tarrant headed the second behind.
Ridley was in trouble, though, in the 53rd minute when he was booked for clattering into Rankine on the left touchline. His yellow card punishment was compounded when the delayed free kick was taken. Bettney floated it over, and Robinson lashed an unstoppable volley from the right of the box.
Clarke caused problems with some trademark overlapping runs as Alfreton sought to turn the screw.
Mills drew generous applause which was returned as he left the field in the 71st minute, but 10 minutes later Barrow were gifted a goal.
Young keeper Simon Rayner miscued an attempted clearance straight to the feet of half-time substitute Michael Rushton, who promptly rounded him and slotted into the empty net.
It set up a nerve-jangling last few minutes, prolonged as referee Ian Knee indicated two extra minutes when two had already been played, and added them on all over again.
Barrow poured forward, and when the pressure was eased the ball was promptly given away again, but bodies behind the ball kept the Bluebirds at bay, and the points remained in town.
ALFRETON: Rayner, Clarke, Brooks, Robinson, Turner, Mills (Blunt 71), Bettney, Fisher (Nwadike 85), Rankine (Godber 80), Stevenson, Featherstone. Subs not used: Duffield, Flanagan.
BARROW: Bishop, Heffernan (Rushton ht), Butler, Cotterill, Dawson, Howson, Olsen, Anthony, Tarrant, Knight, Ridley (Flitcroft 67).
REFEREE: Ian Knee of Wakefield.
ATTENDANCE: 287.
SCORERS: Alfreton – Robinson 7, 54. Barrow – Rushton 81.
CAUTIONS: Alfreton – Fisher 70 (foul on Howson). Barrow – Ridley 53 (foul on Rankine).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Dave Robinson.

IN THE MONEY . . . ATFC director
David Gregory (left) presents
this week's £2000
Reds Gold Bond draw
first prize to agent
John King who
received the cheque
on behalf of Mr Bloor
who was unfortunately
unable to collect it in
person on Saturday.