2005/06 season match No.24
FA Trophy, 1st round proper Replay
Wednesday, December 21st, 2005
Histon 2, Alfreton Town 1
Match report by Clive Edwards). Pics by Phil Lucic.

Gary Mills had no illusions about this performance. “We’re out; it’s as simple as that,” he said after the game. “We didn’t create enough chances. There are no plus sides from this game. They didn’t outplay us by any means, but we are out of the Trophy, and we now have to work hard in the league.”
Apart from Lee Featherstone’s equalising goal, in the53rd minute, a screaming 25-yard left foot shot that whistled past the rooted home keeper and into the net, there really was not much to shout about for the Reds supporters.
In fact, the travelling fans, usually famed for their unending cheerful choral offerings, were unusually muted for long periods of the game. Featherstone’s strike brought out some tuneful chords, briefly, but the rest, as Shakespeare said of Hamlet’s passing, was silence.
Peter Duffield was made captain for the match, in the absence of Dave Robinson who is recovering from a bout of bronchitis. On the left, Jon Stevenson started the game, in place of Chris White. Mark Blount and Matt Fisher were on the subs bench, alongside Mark Hulme, back from a long absence following his horrific injury over 14 months ago.
The indicator of Alfreton’s performance came in the 14th minute. Histon goalkeeper Lance Key touched the ball. It was the first time in the match that he had done so. Greg Smith, at the other end (Shaun Bodkin having injured himself in the pre-match warm-up), was not so redundant.
A lively Histon attack, led by Jamie Barker and ably supported by Robbie Nightingale, looked as though they might cause trouble for the Reds. On 17 minutes, the home skipper Neil Andrews beat two men on the right, moved the ball to Barker , who picked up the baton, ran with it past three more Red defenders and fired home a left foot shot that ricocheted in off the post. It was a goal worth admiring. If televised, it would have been a contender for goal of the month.
Alfreton’s best chance of the half fell to Ryan Clarke. A long throw from human catapult, Liam Powell found Clarke at the far post. He with the springs in his heels rose, Mercury-like, above all and sundry, but disappointingly nodded the ball inches wide of the post.
Then in the dying embers of the half, Nwadike played a neat one-two with Duffield before smashing a 20 yard snapshot that brought a full-stretch diving save from Key in the home goal.
Histon had to make two substitutions at half time. Adrian Cambridge – their man of the match in Saturday’s first attempt at the Impact Arena, and their skipper Neil Andrews, had both picked up injuries and were unable to continue.
It was during this period of readjustment that Alfreton scored their goal, and, for a period of 20 minutes at the start of the second half, looked slightly the better side.
But Jamie Barker popped up again in the 68th minute, pouncing onto a through ball by Knight-Percival that caught the Reds defence square. Barker took one look at keeper Smith, and smashed the ball mercilessly past him.
From this point, Alfreton tried in vain to break down a well organised Histon team. But to no avail. In fact the better chances all fell to the home side, who were unlucky not to extend their lead.
The impartial observer would take his hat off to Histon’s manager, Steve Fallon. He had taken note of the fact that, in Saturday’s tie, almost all of the Alfreton attacks had come via spritely winger Chris Bettney.
Block him out, and Alfreton lose their thrust. So, he put his own swift and talented young winger, Knight-Percival, on the case. Whenever Bettney got the ball, the youngster matched him for pace. If Bettney got past him, the Histon full back was in reserve. The tactic worked splendidly – unless you were an Alfreton fan.
Fallon said after the game: ”We knew Bettney was a threat so we marked him well. We deserved to win, especially after we had to take off two key midfielders. Some people thought that would give the game to Alfreton, but we coped well with the changes.”
In the 71st minute, Mark Blount replaced Liam Powell. Powell has played admirably recently, but this substitution enabled Ryan Clarke to revert to his former position – right back. Clarke is about as good as Powell as a defender. But Clarke’s thirst for attack, particularly on the overlap, adds an extra dimension to Alfreton’s play.
He defends like a young man being asked to admire his girlfriend’s new shoes. Happy to oblige, but keen to investigate the excitement on offer further up the field.
Second half chances were rare for the Reds. Godber, in a flash of excellence in the 78th minute, flicked a long clearance from Smith out to Duffield, who fed Bettney, who crossed back to Godber, all in an instant. It was magic… and if Godber had connected well with the cross, oh, ecstasy.
But, no. Our Mick didn’t quite time his shot, and the ball flew over the bar. It was almost brilliant, but sadly mortal.
Picking the man of the match is a difficult task on this occasion. Turner, Featherstone and Clarke were all contenders. None of them was outstanding, but all were better than competent. But Gary Mills, like the northern star, outshone them and lighted the way on this festive eve.
December 21st is the longest night of the year. Many Alfreton fans will have felt so by the time of their return to Derbyshire.
Pagans believe that yuletide is the celebration of the coming of the light after the dark months. With three minutes left of the match, Mark Hume came on. In injury time, he was booked for a scything tackle on the Histon full back.
Hume has sat patiently on the sidelines throughout the season, smiling pleasantly at passers-by and well wishers. He seems a charming man. 14 months of pent up frustration and the tiger in him came out. It was a brute of a tackle. And no footballer would condone it.
But a little bit of aggression, channelled according to the laws of the game, in future matches, might well turn things round.
The returning light ? Perhaps… just perhaps.
Histon - Key, Haniver, Okay, Hipperson, Jackman, A Cambridge (Goddard 45), Farringdon (Coulson 58), Andrews (capt) (Gutzmore 45), Barker, Nightingale, Knight-Percival
Subs not used: Hulyer, Kennedy
Alfreton Town - Smith, Powell (Blount71), Featherstone, Clarke, Turner, Mills, Bettney, Nwadike, Godber ,Duffield (capt)(Hume 88), Stevenson (Woolley 69)
Subs not used: Fisher Bodkin
Referee: Mr G Brittain (Doncaster).
Attendance 288
Scorers: Histon: Jamie Barker 17mins and 68 mins. Alfreton: Lee Featherstone 53 mins.
Yellow card: Histon :Nightingale 84 (handball); Okay 84 (foul tackle). Alfreton :Hume 90+3 (foul tackle).
Alfreton Man of the match: Gary Mills