ALFRETON Town continued their recent improved form by ending league leaders’ Harrogate’s perfect record at home in the league this season, and the last unbeaten record in the division.
The North Yorkshire club had won all seven of their previous games at Wetherby Road for points but ran into a determined Reds side who made it three wins on the trot and all without conceding a goal.
And the home side could have been handed a bigger margin of defeat if some of a string of chances for Nicky Law’s side had been converted.
Ironically, the last time Alfreton won three games in a row without conceding a goal following a 3-0 and a 2-0 was a 1-0 success at Harrogate Town last season.
However, then manager Marcus Ebdon’s team could only muster two more wins from the remaining 12, although one of them was a 1-0 victory at Kettering where the Reds go to later this month.
Peter Knox could have put the Reds in front inside two minutes when he forced his way through but Denny Ingram managed to intervene.
Two minutes later there was a chance for former Red Chris Bettney but he pulled a free kick wide from the left hand edge of the penalty area.
Seconds later Alfreton's Kyle Sutcliffe had to be alert to kick the ball out into touch after an over-hit back pass from Tommy Hannigan caused concern.
Sutcliffe was called into action on eight minutes when Bettney's cross from the right was met by a rasping shot by Jamie Price which was parried by the Reds keeper.
There was a golden chance for Knox to give the visitors the lead a minute later when he was put through one on one with home keeper Curtis Aspden who was thankful the shot was straight at his legs.
In an intriguing game which ebbed and flowed from end to end, Danny Holland shot wide after good control in the Alfreton penalty area.
Ingram again got in a vital touch as Knox shaped to shoot on 11 minutes before Bettney fired another free kick just over.
Knox won a free kick on the edge of the Harrogate penalty area from which Josh Law rifled his effort over then Brian Cusworth was sent through by Danny Reet on 24 minutes but he possibly didn't realise how much time he had and shot high and wide.
It was another chance which had come and gone for the Reds and Aspden took the ball off Matt Wilson's head as Steve Warne fired in a loose ball following a Law free kick.
Harrogate went close when debutant Tony Hackworth got behind the visiting defence but his angled shot brought a reflex blocking save from Sutcliffe in the Alfreton goal.
The Reds finally hit the target on 33 minutes when they got the decisive goal. Brian Cusworth squared to KRIS BOWLER 30 yards out and he ghosted past defenders before netting with a low drive from 16 yards.
In the minutes up to half time, Sutcliffe was brought into action twice in three minutes when he comfortably held a Roy Hunter header from a Dave Merris cross and then saved well to keep out Hackworth's 25-yarder.
The visitors went in with a 1-0 advantage but it could have been so much more comfortable.
Reds assistant manager Chris Marples had his over-zealous support from the sidelines earn him a lecture from Mr Khatib six minutes into the second period.
Alfreton went close again a minute later when Anton Brown's long throw was headed on by Cusworth and a looping header from Josh Law from 20-yards out dropped just over.
Kyle McFadzean then sent Law away down the right and from his cross, Cusworth had a header held by Aspden.
A rash of visiting attacks continued and Knox showed his strength to shrug off two challenges before firing a 20-yarder wide then a Danny Reet free kick from the edge of the area flew off the wall for a corner.
Danny Holland, whose two goals had earned the points for Harrogate in the earlier encounter between the sides at the Impact Arena, spurned a golden chance to get his side back on terms on 65 minutes when he scuffed wide from close range from Hackworth's cross with the goal at his mercy.
The hosts began to build up a head of steam and Brown had to concede a corner under pressure from Holland as substitute Lee Whittington set up Hunter.
Alfreton were still well in the game though and Knox had an angled drive tipped over from Reet's through ball on 72 minutes.
Harrogate broke quickly after Cusworth lost possession in their half but the move ended with Darren Dunning's shot being deflected behind.
Holland again failed to hit the target with a header on 82 minutes and three minutes later Bettney was high and wide from a free kick on the left edge of the penalty area.
Alfreton almost got in for a second on 89 minutes when a long clearance from Sutcliffe sent Knox free. His shot was parried by Aspden who was fortunate to see the ball fall behind the supporting Cusworth.
In the first minute of stoppage time, Reds man of the match Kyle Sutcliffe produced a late, low full stretch to actually stop, and hold on to, a 20-yarder from Holland which looked a goal all the way.
A minute later at the other end, Knox drew applause from the home fans for a piece of skill which saw him flick the ball over left back Merris but he just couldn't quite reach Cusworth.
The game ended on a low note with three players booked after a mass brawl, Reet for Alfreton and Merris and Dunning for the hosts.
Even that couldn't take the shine off a very good Alfreton performance though.

MATCH STATS
Harrogate Town: Aspden, Price, Merris, Ingram, Hume, Dunning, Hunter, James(Whittington 62), Bettney, Holland, Hackworth. Subs not used: Wood, Peat, Ellerker, Musselwhite.
Alfreton Town: Sutcliffe, McFadzean, Brown, Hannigan, M Wilson (L Wilson 62), Warne, Law, Bowler, Cusworth, Knox, Reet. Subs not used: Walton, Agus, Lindley, Cockerill.
Referee: B Khatib (Sunderland).
Attendance: 549.
Goal: Alfreton Town - Kris Bowler (33).
Cautions: Harrogate Town - Dave Merris and Darren Dunning (90+3). Alfreton Town - Danny Reet (90+3). All three for part in a mass brawl.
Reds man of the match: Kyle Sutcliffe.