2007/2008 Season. Game no. 12. FA Cup, sponsored by E.ON, second qualifying round replay.
Tuesday, October 2nd, 2007
ALFRETON TOWN 1, Hednesford Town 2

Report by Kev Miles

ALFRETON Town shot themselves in the foot for the second consecutive season when they lost a first hurdle home FA Cup replay against lower league opponents.
Having seemingly done the hard part and got a replay from a goalless draw at UniBond League Premier Division side Hednesford town last Saturday, the Reds proved incapable of breaking them down and fell to an injury time winner on Tuesday night.
With the defeat went £3,750 prize money available for the winners and any chance of a potential and much needed money spinning run.
There was just one change to the squad from Saturday, goalkeeper Kyle Sutcliffe replacing Jamie Green on the bench. Hednesford also had one change, Mario Pedro coming in for Dominic Heath.
The Reds produced a display of two halves. The first period saw them set off at a high tempo, working hard and flexing their muscles as they sought to show Hednesford who was the higher level side. They were only able to score once though as a series of chances went untaken.
The second half saw Alfreton degenerate into using a series of long balls, particularly from the back when possession was available on the flanks.
The long ball tactic foundered time and time again with Brian Cusworth lacking credible support up front and unable to win much against a disciplined defensive showing from Hednesford, particularly centre backs Tom Marshall and Paul Robinson.
Alfreton were also seemingly unable to get the ball wide and barely ever able to get round the back and give Cusworth the service his efforts deserved.
It was the Reds target man who had the first shot after just three minutes, his 16-yarder blocked by Robinson after Kris Bowler had headed on.
At the other end Pedro fed MacPherson through the middle and his shot was blocked by Matt Wilson.
The visitors went closer on seven minutes when Robinson glanced a header wide from an Adams free kick.
Hednesford began to piece to together some neat, simple moves, a feature of their play game long, and at the end of one such move, Tom Ward’s turn and shot 16-yards out produced a smart flying save from James Lindley in the home goal at the expense of a corner.
Alfreton responded well and a lovely ball in from Anton Brown on the left saw Cusworth get ahead of his marker to send a header centimetres over.
The Reds went in front on 23 minutes when SCOTT RICKARDS confidently struck home a penalty after Cusworth had been impeded in the area by Tom Marshall.
A good contest continued with Hednesford showing well in attack, Ward skimming a header wide from an Adam cross on 27 minutes.
Cusworth sent a header a yard wide as he rose highest to a Laurie Wilson free kick and the Reds striker then arrowed an angled drive straight at visiting keeper Rene Gilmartin after being set up by Rickards who had dispossessed Robinson.
Two successive home corners came and went before the visitors equalised in style on 39 minutes.
A home raid broke down ten yards outside the Hednesford penalty area. The ball was quickly fed out wide to CHRIS ADAM who cut in and rifled a superb shot into the roof of the net from 16 yards.
Cusworth almost regained the lead for Alfreton but his 20-yarder fizzed through a ruck of players and just past the far post.
Chances continued to come to half time and Alan Nagington’s shot in a crowded area was only kept out by the outstretched foot of Lindley and there was still time for Tommy Hannigan to stab wide after a lovely Kris Bowler run and cross.
One of very few times Alfreton managed to get round the back of the Hednesford defensive line came two minutes into the second half when Cusworth robbed Marshall on the right  but Gilmartin claimed the ball ahead of Rickards on the far post.
Walton’s shot then deflected off Robinson for a corner but the Reds man was then booked for clattering into Ashley Woolliscroft.
The second delivery from round the back came from Dave Cockerill on 58 minutes but his driven cross from the left byeline went to waste with no-one within 12 yards of the goal.
As Alfreton began to become frustrated, Cusworth was then booked for a foul on MacPherson and Woolliscroft followed for the visitors for dissent.
Matt Glass replaced Scott Rickards on 69 minutes but still the Reds couldn’t pierce Hednesford’s central defence.
There were successive corners for the Reds on 74 minutes.The first one saw Anton Brown’s powerful downward header cleared away by Ross Adams but from the second Cusworth headed back across goal and wide.
Glass almost got in onto Doxey’s through ball but Marshall got across to clear the ball from the Alfreton substitute’s toes.
The closest Alfreton came to a winner came on 80 minutes left when Gilmartin’s clearance struck Matt Glass on the back of the head and rebounded back past the visiting keeper but also fell six feet wide of the post.
That was as close as it got as the Reds ran out of width and quality.
Hednesford continued to break well and Hannigan had to throw himself in front of Robinson’s shot after a break through the middle.
Along with Laurie Wilson, centre back Matt Wilson was one of few to impress for Alfreton but his night ended on 83 minutes with a groin injury and he was replaced by Scott Ellis which brought a reshuffle of the back line.
The visitors grabbed the winner 35 seconds into the first minute of added time. From a free kick, Marshall’s ball past the wall fell into PEDRO’S path - right in Matt Wilson territory - and his shot went in off Lindley’s right hand post, rolled back across the line and nestled inside the opposite side netting.
Four more minutes of unproductive added time further on and Matt Glass was sent off after an altercation with Ross Adams as he chased a hopeful ball deep into the corner.
Another Alfreton night of FA Cup disaster was complete.
MATCH STATS
ALFRETON TOWN: James Lindley, Laurie Wilson, Anton Brown, Matt Wilson, Tommy Hannigan, Shaun Doxey, David Cockerill, Chris Walton, Brian Cusworth, Scott Rickards (Matt Glass, 69), Kris Bowler. Subs not used: Chris Dodds, Massiah McDonald, Kyle Sutcliffe.
HEDNESFORD TOWN: Rene Gilmartin, Gordon Simms, Ross Adams, Ashley Woolliscroft, Tom Marshall, Paul Robinson, Mario Pedro, Dave MacPherson, Tom Ward, Alan Nagington, Chris Adam.
Subs not used: Sam Hall, Tim Sanders, Dave Brown.
REFEREE: W Porter (Bourne).  ATTENDANCE: 246.
GOALS: Alfreton Town - Scott Rickards (23, penalty). Hednesford Town - Chris Adam (39), Mario Pedro (90 + 1).
CAUTIONS: Alfreton Town - Chris Walton (52, foul on Woolliscroft), Brian Cusworth (65, foul on Dave MacPherson). Hednesford Town - Ashley Woolliscroft (65, dissent).
SENT OFF: Alfreton Town - Matt Glass (90+5) violent conduct.
REDS MAN OF THE MATCH: Laurie Wilson