Alfreton Town Football Club
Match reports
2004/05

Close this window to return to the Results page

2004/04 - Match No. 2
Nationwide North
Saturday, August 14th, 2004
Alfreton Town 2, Bradford Park Avenue 1
Report by Gordon Foster (Mansfield CHAD). Pics by Kev Miles and Phil Lucic
SUBSTITUTE Peter Duffield (pictured after the game and below celebrating the winner) secured a last gasp winner as Alfreton Town marked their Nationwide North debut with three points at the Impact Arena on Saturday.
However, visitors Bradford Park Avenue will have travelled back up the M1 feeling hard done by after a contest which could well have gone either way.
The ‘impact’ came from two inspired substitutions by Reds boss Dave Lloyd, with David Holmes winning the free kick which led to Mark Blount’s opening strike in the 67th minute, and Duffield – who was named as substitute because he was carrying a sore knee – on hand to slot the last gasp winner, after Bradford’s sub Stephen Oleksewycz thought he had earned Carl Shutt’s side a point.
Speaking after the match, Reds assistant boss Charlie Williamson described his senior partner’s decision to send on Duffield for the last nine minutes as ‘a master stroke and a great decision’.
“He deserves a pat on the back for that,” said Williamson. “They were putting us under a bit of pressure after equalising, the time was right to send Duffield on, and he did what he’s good at and what we hope he’ll do many more times this season.
“Up until our first goal I thought we were fairly comfortable, then they got a goal and had about five to seven minutes of pressure when we couldn’t get a kick.
“But although it could have gone either way I like to think we just shaded it, and of course it’s pleasing to make a winning start to a new season – especially in a new league.”
Chairman Wayne Bradley may well have been concerned that, even with a sizeable following from Bradford, the crowd did not top the 400 mark. But those who did turn up had to wait until the final quarter of the match for the entertainment to move up a notch and the goals to flow.
With Chris Bettney suspended, and Chris Dolby and Mick Goddard sidelined with injuries picked up at Matlock along with Duffield not fully fit, it was a strange-looking red-shirted starting line-up which took the field.
Mark Blount, Emeka Nwadike and Ian Robinson all began in roles which were not their naturals, while youngster Stephen Woolley was given an early chance to impress at this level.
But in a routine first half neither keeper was unduly troubled, with Alfreton too often falling victim to an efficient offside trap.
Bradford’s Andy Britton did have to charge off his line to win a race for possession with Mick Godber on the edge of his box in the 13th minute and needed treatment as they collided going for the 50-50 ball.
And three minutes later Danny Walsh cut in from the right and tested Lee Butler, who saved comfortably at his near post.
Alfreton upped the pace a little in the last 15 minutes of the half, but Godber’s powerful shot on the turn was straight at Britton, and Blount and Godber both went close either side of Mitch Ward’s 22-yard volley which whizzed inches wide.
Meanwhile the home defence of Carl Bradshaw, Mark Hume, Grant Brown and Blount contained anything the visitors had to offer, and Ward and Matt Fisher were effective in central midfield.
Robinson, fitting in up front, won a corner inside the first 15 seconds after the re-start, which Adam Oldham failed to clear, but Blount scooped a great chance over the bar.
And the home fans were angered when the referee called play back for an Alfreton free kick with Godber through on goal.
Ben Jones brought a diving save out of Butler in the 65th minute, but two minutes later the deadlock was broken.
Holmes caught the Bradford defence flat-footed with an unexpected turn of pace off the mark along the left, and Andy Quinn was harried into fouling the Reds substitute. Ward’s resulting well-placed free kick found the head of Blount who, from a central position, glanced the ball just inside the far post.
Butler preserved parity on 73 when a clearance fell to Craig Smith who, from 30 yards, forced the keeper into a brilliant tip around the post.
But six more minutes on Avenue were level, as Dan Sheriffe’s cross was knocked back into the area by Karl Colley, for Oleksewycz to tuck the ball home under Butler from close in.
Ben Jones should have won it for Bradford four minutes from time but pulled a clear chance past the far post.
And the miss was punished in the last of three minutes’ stoppage time, with Blount’s long throw-in from the left prodded forward by Godber for Duffield to steer past Britton.
ALFRETON: Butler, Bradshaw, Blount, Brown, Hume Fisher, Nwadike, Ward, Godber, Robinson (Duffield 81), Woolley (Holmes 56). Subs not used: Knapper, Sale, Saxby.
BRADFORD PA: Britton, Quinn, Crossley, Walsh, D. Jones, Naylor, Oldham (Colley 76), Smith, B. Jones, Pearce (Oleksewycz 63), Sheriffe (Helliwell 88). Subs not used: Clayton, Greaves.
REFEREE: Craig Grundy of Sheffield.
ATTENDANCE: 387.
SCORERS: Alfreton – Blount 67; Duffield 90+3. Bradford – Oleksewycz 79.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Mark Blount.