Report by Gordon Foster (Mansfield CHAD). Pics by Phil Lucic and Bill Wheatcroft here

ALFRETON ended a disappointing second half of the season with a whimper on Saturday when, despite an FA Trophy victory at the Marston’s Stadium earlier in the season, they failed to record a first league win over bogey side Hinckley United at the eighth attempt.
The result saw the Reds end their season with a run of seven winless matches, but at least the point ensured that the Knitters did not overtake them in the table and push them any further down than 16th.
In contrast Hinckley, who had looked prime relegation candidates until dramatically turning their season to ensure their safety a week earlier, went out on a high note of nine without defeat including six wins.
The Knitters created the better of what chances there were in a drab end of season affair which defences dominated from start to finish, whereas Hinckley keeper Dale Belford was extended just once, early in the second half, to keep out Danny Reet’s deflected free kick.
Reet was handed a starting shirt after strikers Paul Clayton and Brian Cusworth failed fitness tests, and was partnered up front by Jordan Hall, who returned to the side after being ineligible for the Derbyshire Senior Cup final in midweek.
Kris Bowler returned after serving a two match ban, and Kyle Sutcliffe was preferred in goal to Laurence Matthewson.
Meanwhile with Anton Brown pushed up into midfield in place of Steve Warne who was relegated to the bench, Mark Barnard was called up at left back. Barnard has been unlucky this season, being kept out of the side by the form of Brown, but took his chance on the day to earn man of the match, just ahead of Matt Wilson.
The Reds had a half chance in the fourth minute, when Josh Law’s direct 25-yard free kick was well wide.
Hinckley responded with a corner when Chris Walton decisively headed Leigh Platnauer’s free kick behind, and from the flag kick Sutcliffe had to tip over to concede a second one.
Hinckley almost forged in front with the game 15 minutes old when Leon Kelly crashed a header against Kyle Sutcliffe’s crossbar from a corner.
The ball was immediately cleared upfield and Reet made ground into the Hinckley area, but in trying to create space for the shot he was penalised for fouling Tom Bonner.
A clash of heads in the 21st minute saw Bowler having to leave the field for treatment to a nosebleed while United’s Rico Richards was replaced by Kyle Storer.
But other than three bookings in five late minutes for Alfreton’s Matt Wilson and Tony Butler, both for persistent misconduct, and Hinckley skipper Richard Lavery for a foul on Bowler, that was almost the sum total of the first half action.
As the half moved into overtime Sutcliffe dropped a cross from the left under pressure almost on his 18-yard line, but before Kelly could capitalise the keeper managed to kick to safety.
Platnauer went down in agony three minutes into overtime after a 50-50 challenge with Brown, but recovered sufficiently to start the second half.
Alfreton were unlucky six minutes into the restart, when Danny Reet’s 23-yard free kick was deflected off the defensive wall, forcing keeper Dale Belford to go full stretch to his right to tip it for a corner, and that was the closest that Alfreton came to a goal.
Chris Walton was quick to close down Lavery when Hinckley created a half-chance in the 59th minute.
Reds boss Nicky Law looked in vain for a resurrection when he sent on Massiah McDonald two minutes later in place of Reet, but two more minutes on Matt Wilson came to his side’s rescue.
Home skipper Tony Butler was uncharacteristically caught in possession by Adam Webster who looked odds on to score, but Wilson made a superbly timed last gasp challenge to deny him, at the cost of personal injury.
Some great work on the right by former Reds loanee Callum Lloyd opened up a half chance for Webster who screwed his attempt outside the near post.
Both sides made changes to try to find a winner, to no avail.
With 10 minutes remaining Chris Walton crucially dispossessed Lloyd after Hinckley substitute Gez Murphy found a way around the back of Laurie Wilson on the left to open up the chance.
And when Matt Glass carelessly lost possession to Bonner, the full back sent Lloyd down the left to cross for Gez Murphy, who thought he had scored until Barnard popped up to clear off the line.
Finally, as the game entered added time, Kyle Storer fired a low 25-yard free kick narrowly wide for the visitors.
ALFRETON: Sutcliffe, L. Wilson, Barnard, Walton, Butler, M. Wilson, Law, Brown (Warne 72), Reet (McDonald 61), Hall (Glass 79), Bowler. Subs not used: Pacey, Matthewson.
HINCKLEY: Belford, Roma, Bonner, Lavery, Platnauer, Birch, Edwards (Story 69), Richards (K. Storer 21), Webster (Murphy 74), Kelly, Lloyd. Sub not used: S. Storer.
REFEREE: Simon Bennett of Kidsgrove.
ATTENDANCE: 343.
CAUTIONS: Alfreton – M. Wilson 38 (persistent misconduct); Butler 43 (persistent misconduct). Hinckley – Lavery 41 (foul on Bowler).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Mark Barnard.