Report by Kev Miles

A LATE Brian Cusworth header kept Alfreton Town’s interests alive in the Senior Cup  after they had huffed and puffed their way to the point of almost handing the trophy to a busy Belper side on Tuesday night.
Following two  very long trips to Cumbria in the space of five days might have been the reason for a well below par, jaded looking Reds performance.
Thankfully Cusworth’s goal got them out of jail.
Belper, chasing a play-off place in UniBond League First Division  South, arrived in good form and were confident and unruffled throughout despite four goalline clearances and  they deserved the victory.
Reds boss Nicky Law had his selection problems, five injured and two unavailable, but so too did Belper who had influential central defender Jon Hobson suspended and also lost two defenders to injury on the night.
Belper had an early boost of a third minute goal. Anthony  Wilson head flicked on a throw in and BEN WALKER rammed the ball home from six yards.
Anthony Wilson then miscued with Reds keeper Matthewson out of goal before Belper lost right back James Colliver with a groin strain after just 12 minutes, he being replaced by Joe Appleyard.
The visitors had another chance when Hannah’s persistence set up Lee Stevenson but he blazed yards over on 16 minutes.
Richard Haigh came to Belper’s rescue when he cleared Paul Clayton’s chip over a stranded Marc Furness in the Belper goal and from the flag-kick, Kris Bowler’s delivery was headed off the line by Scott Lowe.
Cusworth laid off for Steve Warne but he could only drag his shot well wide.
Gary Middleton became the tie’s first name in the book for a foul on Clayton on 25 minutes.
The other caution went to Alfreton keeper Matthewson on 29 minutes who kicked the ball away in anger after referee Cook awarded a ridiculous looking free kick when Walton clearly cleared the ball ahead of Ben Walker on the edge of the home penalty area. Stevenson fired the dead ball wide.
Belper doubled their lead on 31 minutes when
Wilson headed down Lowe’s return ball from a corner and MIDDLETON sidefooted home despite Matthewson’s best efforts to keep it out.
Belper were full of running and Walker produced some magnificent defending to get back and rob Walton to end a right flank foray by the hosts.
Alfreton simply couldn’t get going and little or no width down either side.
Bargate referee Cook became villain of the peace with the home fans on 42 minutes when he chose to ignore a very  late Middleton challenge on Reet despite at one stage appearing to be reaching for his back pocket for a what would have been a second yellow card.
Three minutes later Middleton’s game ended any way when he had to be stretchered off with a hamstring injury which looks set to keep him out for the rest of the season.
Former Red Andy Rushbury replaced him.
Alfreton had clearly had a rollicking at half time as they came out all fired up for the second half and reduced the arrears within 46 seconds of it.
Walton powered down the left and slipped a pass inside to PAUL CLAYTON who steered a shot past Furness from the angle of the six yard box.
Two minutes later Reet’s 16-yard clipped effort over a totally stranded Furness came back off the bar.
If t he effort had gone in the whole complexion of the game could have changed.
Two minutes further on and Reet had another shot blocked by Stevenson deep in the area as Alfreton pressed hard.
Reet was involved again on 54 minutes when he did well to create a yard of space for a shot which took a deflection behind for a corner from which Butler headed over.
Belper emerged from the siege and after Anthony Wilson’s shot had been charged down, Krystof Kotylo fired the rebound wide.
Cusworth was unlucky when he looked set to break through the middle but he stumbled at the crucial last stage before Clayton fired well wide when a pass to an unmarked Reet was the better option.
Having seen off Alfreton’s flurry, Belper shook their hosts with a third goal on the hour.
Walker was brought down just outside the penalty area and KOTYLO’S quickly taken free kick made it 3-1.
Matt Glass replaced Reet up front for Alfreton on 63 minutes and a minute later former Reds Under-19 player Michael Harcourt cleared Clayton’s close range shot off the line.
Anton Brown came on for Mark Barnard and again a minute later came the fourth goalline clearance of the night when Andy  Rushbury produced a great clearance whilst facing his own net to keep out Bowler’s left footed shot which looked destined for the far corner.
Glass fired a 25-yarder a yard over the top before Alfreton reduced the arrears on 84 minutes when CUSWORTH got up highest to power in a header from eight yards to finish Walton’s deep free kick angled to the far post.
If the result had stayed at 3-1 the Nailers would have deservedly been firm favourites to win the trophy for the first time in 28 years since they beat Alfreton in 1980.
As it is Nicky Law’s team should be bolstered by injury returnees  and they will have the chance to redeem themselves in the second leg on Tuesday, April 22.
MATCH STATS
ALFRETON TOWN: Matthewson, Gray, Barnard (Brown 69), Walton, Butler, Wilson, Reet (Glass 63), Warne, Cusworth, Clayton (McDonald 85), Bowler. Subs not used: St. Juste, Forster.
BELPER TOWN: Furness, Colliver (Appleyard 12), Haigh, Kotylo, Middleton (Rushbury 45), Lowe, Harcourt, Stevenson, Wilson (Ashton, 85), Hannah, Walker. Subs not used: Smith, Tracey.
REFEREE: S Cook  of Bargate.
ATTENDANCE: 248.
GOALS: Alfreton - Clayton 46, Cusworth 84. Belper - Walker 3, Middleton 31, Kotylo 60).
CAUTIONS: Alfreton - Matthewson (29, kicking ball away); Belper - Middleton (25, foul on Clayton),
REDS MAN OF THE MATCH: Paul Clayton.
NAILERS BEST: Ben Walker.