ALFRETON could count themselves unlucky not to have taken something from Play-off hopefuls Blyth Spartans, whose single goal win completed the double over the Reds.
It was a better display than the last two by Alfreton, who disappointingly chalked up their third successive defeat without a goal to their credit.
But an enthralling contest could have turned out so differently had two early efforts that hit the woodwork gone in.It wasn’t to be, and player-manager Marcus Ebdon was left to reflect upon a game of missed chances by his side.
“We created a lot of chances today,” he said afterwards, “but to win games you have to score goals and take the pressure off your defence.
“We had some really good openings, and we’ve got to get a good proportion of those into the back of the net.
”Alfreton’s lingering Play-off chances now seem to have gone, and the result left them nine points away from both the Play-off and relegation positions, but kept Blyth still in contention.
Within the first 15 minutes it seemed clear that it was to be one of those days for Alfreton.
In only the third minute Tristram Whitman’s volley struck and rebounded off Alex Gildea and his second attempt flew over the bar.
Dale Roberts had to spread himself to block Aron Wilford’s shot on the turn as the game made a lively start in an unfavourable strong wind for the Reds.
But on 10 minutes Tommy Hannigan headed Ashley Burbeary’s corner against the near post, and four minutes later Emeka Nwadike pounced on Burbeary’s blocked free kick but scooped his effort onto the bar.
In terms of possession this was a good spell for Alfreton, and when Whitman’s sheer persistence won him the ball in the Spartans’ penalty area, keeper Adam Bartlett got down well to block the shot.
That could have been 4-0 or 4-1, but it was still goalless, and Blyth began to create a few openings of their own, having survived the early onslaught.
Roberts had to deny near-namesake Robert Dale twice inside a minute with two excellent stops midway through the half, the second time with his feet, when the ball rebounded upwards and was carried for a corner on the gale.
Anton Brown, a more than capable deputy for the injured Mark Barnard at left back, then did just enough to put off the overlapping Gildea as he found himself with a chance in the right of the box.
There were chances at both ends in the final minutes of the half. First Roberts stood tall and gave Dale nothing to shoot at when he was put through by Wilford, then at the other end Nwadike’s shot on the turn was over the bar from Burbeary’s astute ball in.
Brown had to be in quickly to avert the danger two minutes into the re-start after Dale had nodded down to Scott Bell in the area, while Mark Rawle, despite scuffing his shot, forced Bartlett into a diving save after Ebdon had won possession.
But it was Blyth who broke the deadlock in the 52^nd minute. The stretching Nathan Winder could not cut out Wilford’s lobbed centre, and Bell lashed an unstoppable volley into the roof of the net.
Alfreton strove to rescue something, but Ryan Clarke could not quite connect with Burbeary’s free kick from the right.
There was a moment of controversy in the 74^th minute. Winder turned and hit a high-bouncing ball back to Roberts who had to stretch upward to catch it. But referee David Benton would have none of Blyth’s back-pass appeals.
The visitors were furious, and could have been all the more so, for Alfreton may well have scored themselves when the keeper’s long, quick clearance reached Steve Scoffham in the opposite area, and his flicked header was brilliantly tipped over by Bartlett.
As it was, Richard Forster earned himself a booking for his protest.
As the Reds strove in vain for the equaliser Scoffham’s header onto Burbeary’s corner was cleared off the line by Andrew Leeson, and his angled shot flashed just past the far post after Ebdon had again won the ball, while Burbeary headed inches wide after Rawle had headed on Ebdon’s throw in.
Alfreton sacrificed defender Winder for striker David Reeves for five minutes of stoppage time but to no avail.
The prediction following those early misses had come true – it was just not to be Alfreton’s day.
ALFRETON: Roberts, Clarke, Brown, Hannigan, Winder (Reeves 90), Nwadike, Burbeary, Ebdon, Scoffham, Rawle, Whitman (Glass 75). Subs not used: Tiday, Harcourt, Flanagan.
BLYTH: Bartlett, Christensen, Gildea, Leeson, Forster, Williams, Turnbull, McCabe, Dale, Bell (Hodgson 85), Wilford
REFEREE: David Benton of Sheffield
ATTENDANCE: 265
SCORER: Blyth – Bell 52
CAUTIONS: Alfreton – Nwadike 72 (high challenge on Wilford). Blyth – Dale 61 (late challenge on Scoffham); Forster 74 (dissent).

REDS MAN OF THE MATCH: Ashley Burbeary.