Report by Gordon Foster (Mansfield CHAD). Pics by Phil Lucic.

ALFRETON’S miserable first leg home show came back to haunt them at Christ Church Meadows on Tuesday night when a 1-1 draw was not enough to overturn Belper Town’s 3-2 advantage.
A bruising derby encounter saw Chris Walton pull the Reds level on aggregate in the 65th minute, only for Ross Hannah to equalise from the penalty spot seven minutes later after being hauled down by Matt Wilson.
And although a late goalmouth scramble almost brought a winner on the night for the Reds and forced exta time, it was not to be.
With Matt Wilson available again he filled in at the heart of defence with Tony Butler, enabling Rob Pacey to swith to right back and Laurie Wilson to move forward into midfield.
Brian Cusworth was ruled out by the injury he picked up on Saturday, so Matt Glass partnered Paul Clayton up front.
The pattern of the match was set inside the first 20 seconds when the Nailers’ Krystof Kotylo went down injured after a challenge.
Belper thought they had scored in the second minute. Lee Stevenson’s quick free kick down the left found Hannah, and when he crossed to the far post Danny Hudson blasted the ball into the net.
But to the relief of the Reds’ fans and the despair of the Nailers, an offside flag ruled it out.
In Alfreton’s first threat with seven minutes gone, Walton picked out Butler from a corner, and the skipper’s header brought a magnificent save at full stretch to his right by Marc Furniss.
It led to a second flag kick and this time Furniss flapped at the cross under pressure, but he recovered to fall on the ball on the line.
Alfreton were winning frequent corners at this stage, and from another one Pacey’s far post header dropped wide.
A dreadful challenge on Pacey in the 17th minute by former Red Andy Rushbury brought only a yellow card. The challenge was late and high, Pacey needing prolonged attention to his knee, and Rushbury was very fortunate to be allowed to continue.
And he almost rubbed salt into Alfreton wounds three minutes later when, with Pacey still being treated on the sidelines, he broke clear to shoot wide.
Back on the field, Pacey continued to limp for a while, and when manager Nicky Law sent on Danny Reet on the half hour the expectation wa that Pacey would be withdrawn and Laurie Wilson would revert to right back.
But to everyone’s surprise it was Clayton who went off, having picked up an earlier knock.
It was the Belper fans’ turn to vent their spleen on referee Steve Cook two minutes later. Matt Wilson went in late on Hannah who rode the challenge, but Wilson himself was hurt as a result.
Mr Cook awarded Alfreton the free kick and booked Hannah to the anger of the home crowd, who had a fair point - the more so since had Wilson been booked then, his caution for the later penalty would have been his second, with obvious consequences.
Scott Lowe was next into the book three minutes later for hands when, while grounded, he prevented Reet from sending Laurie Wilson through.
In stoppage time at the end of the half Glass beat the offside trap and, as he was closed down well by Lowe, his shot struck Furniss on the side of the head and went to safety.
And right at the end of the half Rushbury escaped along the left for Belper and centred, but Anthony Wilson’s effort was straight at Laurie Matthewson.
Two minutes into the restart Reet sent a crisp 20-yard drive just past a post, then Matt Wilson found no direction from a header onto Laurie Wilson’s corner from the right.
On the hour Butler mysteriously picked up a booking, presumably for something said.
Belper threatened again in the 63rd minute through Danny Hudson who twisted past Steve Warne to put Rushbury in one on one with Matthewson, who did ver well to come out and save with his feet.
But two minutes later Alfreton were ahead on the night and level on aggregate.
Richard Haigh was cautioned for a heavy foul on Reet, Pacey got a touch onto Laurie Wilson’s free kick from the right to help it on, and Walton blasted home from around 10 yards.
But Reds’ joy lasted just seven minutes, before a delightful through ball by James Colliver sent Hannah clear in the right of the area. Matt Wilson hauled him back, and probably escaped a straight red only because Hannah was not in a central position.
It was still a scoring opportunity though, but Hannah got up to hit a perfect spot kick low to Matthewson’s right and into the corner of the net.
As Alfreton tried to redeem themselves Reet saw a looping header drop onto the roof of the net.
But Reds’ hearts stopped momentarily again when Pacey headed Hudson’s free kick upwards at the far post, suffering a head injury in the process, but Matthewson was able to catch the ball as it dropped.
Manager Nicky Law’s last throw of the dice was to send on Daniel Gray and Massiah McDonald for Josh Law and Glass.
And his side were desperately close to forcing an extra half hour in the second of six added minutes. Butler’s header from a corner was blocked, and in the ensuing scramble Reet had two attempts to force the ball over the line, but again both were blocked before Rushbury cleared.
BELPER: Furniss, Colliver, Haigh, Kotylo, Hobson, Lowe, Hudson, Stevenson, A. Wilson, Hannah (Walker 90+3), Rushbury. Subs not used: Tracey, Smith, Appleyard, Harcourt.
ALFRETON: Matthewson, Pacey, Brown, Walton, Butler, M. Wilson, Law (Gray 85), Warne, L. Wilson, Clayton (Reet 30), Glass (McDonald 85). Subs not used: Barnard, Sutcliffe.
REFEREE: Steve Cook of Bargate.
ATTENDANCE: 266.
GOALS: Belper - Hannah pen 72. Alfreton - Walton 65.
CAUTIONS: Belper - Rushbury 17 (high challenge on Pacey); Hannah 30 (foul on M. Wilson); Lowe 35 (hands). Alfreton - Butler 60 (presumed dissent); Reet 76 (foul); Glass 83 (foul on Kotylo).
REDS MAN OF THE MATCH: Tony Butler.