2006/2007 season Match no.7 - Nationwide North
Friday, September 1st, 2006
ALFRETON TOWN 0, Harrogate Town 0

Match report by Gordon Foster (Mansfield CHAD). Pics by Bill Wheatcroft.

THE Impact Arena faithful were treated to another feast of entertainment on Friday night, but with both sides creating numerous chances the only wonder was that neither team managed to find the target.
It could easily have been 3-3 instead of 0-0 at half time, but Harrogate turned the screw in the second half, only to be denied by the crossbar twice and heroic keeper Dale Roberts on numerous more occasions.
During the week Alfreton chairman Wayne Bradley had appealed to the townsfolk to call and see the feast of entertainment on offer, and if the last two games at the ground are any guide he really should get his wish.
But people read scorelines first, and 0-0 certainly did not reflect the play, which had the fans gripped from start to finish.
The result made it five draws out of seven for the Reds, but manager Gary Mills was upbeat afterwards.
“It was more superb entertainment,” he said. “I thought we were the better side in the first half and created lots of chances, but they took the game to us in the second.
“Harrogate are a decent side, they have good movement, a lot of good footballers, and they created some good chances.
“But we defended very well when we came under pressure and. To be fair, they didn’t batter us in the second half.
“You take what you get – we got a point tonight with another clean sheet when they had a bit of bad luck in front of goal, but then again we had to settle for 0-0 at Worcester in a game we should have won. – that’s football.”
Mills had a word of praise for his 19-year-old keeper. “He had a bit of luck on a couple of occasions, but you make your own luck and he’s pulled off some outstanding saves tonight – he’s just getting better and better,” added the manager.
Harrogate’s Danny Holland was the most profligate in front of goal. The striker missed a glut of chances, partly through wayward finishing and partly through the sheer brilliance of Roberts.
But Alfreton, inspired by Marcus Ebdon and Emeka Nwadike in midfield, had their share of chances too, especially but not exclusively in the first half.
Harrogate started the brighter, and in only the second minute Emeka Nwadike either showed immense confidence in Roberts or his strong header onto a cross by Lee Philpott was misdirected. Whatever the case, it rocketed goalwards and Roberts had to be alert to hold it.
Kirk Jackson, a close-season target for the Reds, hit the side netting three minutes later, before Alfreton came more into the match, with Nwadike and Jermaine Palmer having good efforts saved and Tristram Whitman grazing the bar with a rising 20-yard effort.
Once again Ryan Clarke looked good both defensively and going forward, and Andy Tiday was his typical, hard-working and hard-to-contain self.
Clarke made one superb challenge when Jackson threatened to go one on one with Roberts, but a minute before the break persistent work by Nwadike on the left enabled him to cross to the near post where Steve Melton and Palmer contrived together to force the ball wide.
Even so, Roberts had the last word of the half with a brilliant tip aside to deny the unlucky Holland.
Harrogate raised the stakes in the second half, and inside the first minute Darren Dunning put Holland through. With Roberts off his line and retreating, the striker shot wide – it certainly wasn’t his night!
At the other end Jamie Price didn’t know much about a driven Whitman effort which struck him and went to safety, and then Clarke both started and finished a great move involving Whitman and Melton, only to volley wide of the near post.
From the ensuing goal kick Colin Hunter put Holland one on one with Roberts, but again the confident keeper stood tall and saved.
Roberts deserved his bit of luck when Colin Hunter and Philpott both hit the bar in quick succession midway through – the keeper in fact touched Philpott’s well-struck effort from the right onto the bar as it looked to be dropping into the net.
Four minutes from time Jackson thought he had won it for the visitors when he was put through by Darren Dunning and lashed home from around 23 yards, but was thwarted by a very late offside flag.
And, as the game entered stoppage time, with Harrogate pouring forward and Alfreton under the cosh, Roberts once again denied Holland with a great save, then from the resulting corner Melton cleared Jackson’s header off the line.
ALFRETON: Roberts, Clarke, Featherstone, Sucharewycz, Turner, Melton, Nwadike, Ebdon, Palmer, Whitman (Mitchell 63), Tiday. Subs not used: Burbeary, Glass, Barnard, Wall.
HARROGATE: Lindley, Price, Merris, Ellerker, Timons (L. Wood 76), Dunning, C. Hunter, R. Hunter, Jackson, Holland, Philpott. Subs not used: McGarry, Thomas, M. Wood.
REFEREE: Michael Naylor of Sheffield.
ATTENDANCE: 325.
CAUTION: Alfreton – Palmer 75 (foul on Timons).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Dale Roberts.

Former Reds midfielder Matt Walsh presents his 1995 Derbyshire Senior Cup winning medal and also his father's 1961 Senior Cup winning medal to chairman Wayne Bradley. The very special pair of memento's are to be mounted and displayed in the boardroom. Thanks for the magnificent gesture Matt.

Former Reds favourite Chris Bettney is an interested observer