2006/2007 season Match no. 2 - Nationwide North
Monday, August 14th, 2006
Hinckley United 2, ALFRETON TOWN 2

Report by Gordon Foster (Mansfield CHAD). Pics by Phil Lucic.

ALFRETON Town twice came from behind to gain a deserved point from a gripping, end-to-end contest at the Marstons Stadium on Monday night.
Leon Kelly gave hosts Hinckley United a 25th-minute lead which Andy Tiday cancelled out nine minutes later.
But sloppy defending from a corner in first half stoppage time gifted the Knitters a 2-1 interval advantage, only for Stephen Melton to find the equaliser just after the hour.
Hinckley began on the attack and Ryan Clarke was forced to head clear following a fluent three man move along the home left.
Then a rasping Neil Cartwright  shot from Sam Shilton's cross struck Mark Turner and went behind for a corner, from which Dale Roberts comfortably held Richard Lavery's header.
Alfreton replied with home keeper Danny Haystead having to hold headers from Emeka Nwadike and Tiday.
Roberts was called into action again in the 20th minute to save Kelly's angled drive on the turn, but the young keeper was beaten five minutes later.
Leon Jackson sent Kelly on a strong run from just inside the Reds' half, which he ended with a delicate chip over the advancing Roberts.
Tiday and Mark Barnard combined well to set up Matt Glass, whose shot was blocked, and when Jermaine Palmer won possession in the left corner, with the keeper out of position the big front man could not quite pick out Tiday.
Neil Cartwright was only just too high with a rising 25-yard drive for the home side, before Tiday hauled the Reds level in the 34th minute.
Nwadike picked up a misdirected clearance and slipped the ball to Tiday, who shrugged off two defenders in a mazy run before sliding it past the keeper and into the far corner.
Palmer had a shot saved and a powerful header onto Ashley Burbeary's free kick just over following a foul on Clarke which earned Carl Heggs a booking.
But just when the half seemed set to end all square the Reds defence made a hash of dealing with Shilton's corner kick, and Cartwright's strong shot took a deflection on its way into the net.
The impressive Burbeary almost set up a reply two minutes into the restart with a free kick which the stretching Palmer couldn't quite meet, and when the ball fell to Tiday his chip towards the far post was cleared by Lavery.
And Tiday went close again six minutes later when, from a swift break, he spotted Haystead off his line and, from all of 50 yards, sent in a shot which drifted just off target at the last moment.
The busy winger was unlucky again as Alfreton increasingly called the attacking shots - this time Haystead managed to turn the attempt behind after Palmer's cross was helped on by Nwadike.
Even defender Barnard let rip with a 25-yarder which was well held by Haystead, who then saved Palmer's awkward, curling attempt from a further five yards out.
An equaliser was coming, and it arrived in the 61st minute. Burbeary was scythed down in full flight by Jackson, who was booked for his trouble, and the classy midfielder's free kick found Melton who beat Haystead all ends up with a superb header.
Kelly and Stuart Storer both went close as Hinckley sought to wrest the initiative again, but the Knitters were grateful to their keeper who did well to hold Clarke's deflected shot.
It was Roberts'' turn to take the eye in the 72nd minute with a brilliant tip over from Lavery's 15-yard goalbound attempt.
Alfreton broke from the resulting corner, and Haystead parried Tiday's 20-yard drive. Melton latched onto the rebound, but his cross was cleared to safety.
Burbeary might have got the goal his performance deserved five minutes from time with a strong header from outside the box, but the keeper was equal to it, and overall the draw was perhaps the fair result from an absorbing encounter.
HINCKLEY: Haystead, Storer, Love, Lavery, Gadsby, Lenton, Cartwright, Jackson, Heggs (Story 67), Kelly, Shilton. Subs not used: Brown, Manship, Wykes, Castle.
ALFRETON: Roberts, Clarke, Barnard, Wall, Turner, Melton (Featherstone 75), Nwadike, Burbeary, Palmer, Glass (Whitman 58), Tiday (Mitchell 86). Subs not used: Mills, Flanagan.
REFEREE: P.J. Grove of Stourbridge.
ATTENDANCE: 564.
SCORERS: Hinckley - Kelly 25; Cartwright 45+1. Alfreton - Tiday 34; Melton 61.
CAUTIONS: Hinckley - Heggs 40 (foul on Clarke); Jackson 60 (foul on Burbeary); Gadsby 65 (clash with Palmer). Alfreton - Palmer 65 (clash with Gadsby).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Ashley Burbeary.