Alfreton Town Football Club

2009/2010 Season. Match no. 22. Derbyshire Senior Cup, second round
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Alfreton Town eased through to the third round of the Derbyshire Senior Cup with a 7-2 win over a spirited Holbrook MW side, who twice reduced a two-goal deficit at the Impact arena on Tuesday night.

At times the teams were closer than the four-tier difference in Leagues might suggest, but a brace apiece for Josh Law, Andy Todd and Liam Hearn was added to by a seventh goal from Paul Clayton as Alfreton pulled away in the last 20 minutes.

A deep byline cross from Hearn in the 12th minute clipped the top of the Holbrook crossbar just two minutes before Law opened the scoring, having started the move himself on the half-way line.

Law's pass through to Hearn took a helpful deflection off Sam Kellogg and after sprinting down the left Hearn's cross was rifled home by Law from ten yards.

Holbrook's best chance of the first half came on 19 minutes when Karl Demidh broke from a lucky rebound off Aden Flint only to blast his shot beyond the back post, then nine minutes later from a second corner in quick succession Shaun Roulston headed wide for the Brookies.

Alfreton's second goal arrived in the 33rd minute when visiting keeper Damien Clark failed to hold a Law cross from deep right and Hearn rammed the ball in from close range.

Nine minutes after the break Holbrook clearly rattled the hosts when Roulston planted a firm eight yard header from a Dave Moon corner beyond keeper Paddy Gamble to make the score 2-1, then six minutes later full of confidence Demidh created space before firing into the side-netting from 25 yards.

A third goal for the Reds on 63 minutes settled the nerves, but when Todd converted an Ian Ross free-kick at the back post the flag was initially raised for offside with the referee allowing it to stand after consultation with his assistant.

A frantic three-minute spell commencing in the 71st minute produced two penalties and three goals, with Flint triggering the sequence of events by tripping Joe Kellogg as he headed for the byline from Aaron Johnson's cross.

Gavin Whitehead hammered the spot-kick which Gamble parried, only for the penalty taker to follow up and cut the score back to 3-2.
However, straight from the restart, substitute Paul Clayton's by-line cross was turned in at the back post by Todd for 4-2.

Law then ran on to a Hearn cross only to be upended by the keeper, with Law burying the penalty neatly inside Clark's right-hand post for 5-2 before returning the compliment five minutes later by setting up Hearn to score with a strong angled drive after a neat side-step.

Clayton stretched to hook in a cross at close range from the left by Ross with five minutes remaining, with the referee bringing an early conclusion to the proceedings by blowing the final whistle barely into the 90th minute.

Alfreton Town: Paddy Gamble, Jordan Hall, Dominic Roma, Aden Flint, Richard Pell (Matt Wilson 67), Mattie Burke, Josh Law, Lloyd Kerry (Ian Ross 61), Damian Reeves (Paul Clayton 55), Liam Hearn, Andy Todd.
Substitutes not used: Anthony Howell (only four named).
Holbrook MW: Damien Clark, Gavin Whitehead, Marcus Thorp, Neil Broadhurst, Shaun Roulston, Joe Kellogg, Dave Hind (Aaron Johnson, h/t), Sam Kellogg, Karl Demidh, Dave Moon, Joe Ashdown (Chris Sadler 72).
Substitutes not used: Vaughn Hallsworth, Niall Mather, Jon Cooper.
Referee: Nigel Smith of Chesterfield.
Half-time: 2-0.
Attendance: 183.
Goal - Alfreton Town - Josh Law (14 and 73 (pen), Liam Hearn (33 and 79), Andy Todd (63 and 71), Paul Clayton (8). Holbrook MW - Shaun Roulston (54), Gavin Whitehead (71).
Bookings - Alfreton Town - Mattie Burke (dissent 70), Jordan Hall (82, unsporting conduct). Holbrook MW - Sam Kellogg (34, foul on Lloyd Kerry).
Reds man of the match: Josh Law. Holbrook star man: Shaun Roulston.