2007/2008 Season. Game no. 45. Derbyshire Senior Cup semi final
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Buxton 1, ALFRETON TOWN 3

Report by Frank Bridges

MANAGER Nicky Law made a triumphant return to his former club Buxton as Alfreton secured their first Derbyshire Senior Cup final appearance since 2003 at Silverlands on Tuesday night.
The Reds can now look forward to a two-legged final against old rivals Belper Town.
Alfreton were aggrieved at having to play the tie in the first place, after an appeal for a walk-over when the Bucks’ failed to raise a side for the tie a fortnight earlier was dismissed by the Derbyshire Football Association.
But they responded in the best possible way. Despite a bare bones squad, the Reds were always in control and fully deserved their victory against a side with one eye on the Blue Square North next season.
After an indifferent personal spell, Danny Reet marked his recall to the starting line-up with a return to his best form which earned him man of the match.
The Reds put themselves in the driving seat with first half goals by Kyle McFadzean and Brian Cusworth, who was also restored to the starting line-up after Saturday’s defeat at Leigh.
Cusworth added his second and the Reds’ third in the second half, before James Turley pulled a goal back for the Bucks.
Town could have taken the lead in only the second minute, when Cusworth laid off for Laurie Wilson who fired well wide from only six yards out, and another Cusworth lay-off saw Reet stub his shot which Gregg Anderson comfortably cleared off the line.
In between, former Red Neil Ross’ 25-yard effort for the Bucks took a deflection for a corner which was cleared to safety.
Laurie Wilson saw his crisp angled drive turned behind by home keeper Scott Hartley, and although Kieran Lugsden headed over following Ross’ strong run and cross, it was the Reds who were calling the shots.
Bucks central defender Gregg Anderson had to head McFadzean’s deep cross for a corner to avert the danger, and Hartley saved Reet’s clever flick.
But the deadlock was broken in the 26th minute. McFadzean embarked upon a strong, surging run down the right, and after playing a neat interchange with Reet, his angled drive flew across the keeper and into the far corner of the net.
Anyone who doubted the Reds’ commitment to the competition will have had those doubts removed by the celebrations, with McFadzean buried under his jubilant team mates.
Reet caused more problems for the home side when he caught Anderson in possession but after a nifty jink and a neat turn he fired high and wide.
Laurence Matthewson was called into action to save Dave Henry’s spearing low 18-yard drive, but Alfreton were soon back into home territory with Reet and Cusworth both seeing good efforts go just too high.
However, the Reds opened up a two goal cushion four minutes before the break.
It stemmed from Mark Barnard’s superb through ball which was at just the right height for Cusworth to flick home a trademark header from 15 yards.
Six minutes into the restart Laurie Wilson was given just too much to do after a long range one-two with Reet. When the return pass came over, Wilson, at full stretch in front of goal, could only slice wide.
Buxton, who made a double substitution at half time, threatened to get back into the game twice in as many minutes as the hour mark approached.
First another former Red, Anton Foster, made a powerful run to the by-line and saw his cross blocked for a corner which Anderson headed on for Foster, whose finish was blocked by Barnard.
Then substitute Jason Bradley rode a challenge and ran into a good position but miscued his shot high over the bar.
Chris Walton reponded in the 67th minute with a long run through the middle, only to pull his end product well wide.
But a minute later the game was seemingly ended as a contest when Reet played a superb ball in and Cusworth buried a powerful header from 12 yards.
Nevertheless Buxton refused to give up the ghost, and in the 71st minute Lugsden’s stifled header onto Paul Walker’s deep cross was comfortably held by Matthewson, as Laurie Wilson did enough to put the Buxton substitute off.
Within a minute Buxton had pulled a goal back, when Turley headed home Michael Towey’s cross from close range.
Alfreton should have restored their three-goal cushion on 77 minutes when substitute Paul Clayton cut in from the left and delivered to Cusworth, who miskicked in front of goal and the ball looped up safely into Hartley’s arms.
There was a scare at the other end, though, when Matthewson’s clearance was charged down by Bradley, but the keeper recovered to gather the ball.
Then 10 minutes from time Bradley’s strong run brought a wayward shot from Lugsden and an angled drive by Walker which was cleared from a corner, from which McFadzean hacked Terry Bowker’s header off the line.
Steve Warne went close for Alfreton in the 85th minute from a good four man move, and although Walker hooked over Matthewson’s bar three minutes later, by then it was too late to have made any difference to the outcome.
BUXTON: Hartley, Black, Turley, Bowker, Anderson, Foster, Mark Wilson (Lennon ht), Henry (Walker 63), Ross (Bradley ht), Lugsden, Towey. Subs not used: Grindley, Balfe.
ALFRETON: Matthewson, McFadzean, Barnard, Walton (Clayton 74), Butler, Matt Wilson, L. Wilson, Bowler, Cusworth, Reet, Warne. Subs not used: Walters-Lang, Forster, Wakefield, Dooley.
REFEREE: Mark Sutton of Belper.
ATTENDANCE: 421.
GOALS: Buxton - Turley 72. Alfreton - McFadzean 26; Cusworth 41, 68.
CAUTIONS: Buxton - Black 79 (foul on Reet). Alfreton - McFadzean 53 (foul on Turley).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Danny Reet.