Report by Gordon Foster (Mansfield CHAD). Pics by Bill Wheatcroft.
Reds management and players celebrate Kyle McFadzean's late equaliser at Watnall Road.
KYLE McFadzean’s stoppage time goal completed a remarkable comeback as nine-man Alfreton battled back from 2-0 down to force a draw in the Boxing Day derby at Dave Lloyd’s and John Knapper’s Hucknall.
The football may not have lived up to its billing as one between two in-form sides, but there was sufficient drama to match anything the television companies could come up with for their Christmas schedules.
Unfortunately most of it was centred on ill-discipline, and the two sides were left with just six days to put that aspect of the match behind them before they cross swords again at the Impact Arena on New Year’s Day.
Three reds and – not counting seconds – five yellows gave the impression that Barnsley official Scott Ledger had brought his Christmas cards to show to the bumper 801 crowd, as he struggled to control a match which began in disappointingly low key style but became more highly charged as it went on.
Alfreton lost both of their two starting strikers, Danny Reet and Brian Cusworth, either side of the interval, before Ben Kistell and Danny Bacon gave the home side a 2-0 lead.
It looked like ‘game over’, but one thing Alfreton certainly do not lack these days is heart for the battle.
Skipper Kris Bowler, who led by example all match and covered virtually every blade of grass on the Watnall Road park, ensured that the two-goal deficit lasted for only three minutes with a beautiful direct free kick from just outside the area.
It still looked a heavy demand to rescue the situation with a two-man disadvantage, but then former Red Ian Robinson was also given his marching orders.
There was now a glimmer of hope, and Reds boss Nicky Law gambled by sending on both his substitute strikers in a bid to save the situation.
Then, just when it seemed they had run out of time McFadzean came up with that final sting in the tail to secure the point.
Early in the game there had been no hint of the drama to follow, other than Josh Law just failing to get a touch from Reet’s run and cross in the seventh minute.
Four minutes later Hucknall’s Russell Cooke overstretched while winning an important challenge as Reet sought to profit from Tony Butler’s ball over the top, and was replaced by Kistell.
But it was not until the 15th minute that the crowd saw a shot on goal. Even then, Reet’s effort was straight at Arran Reid.
Anton Brown was the first player into Mr Ledger’s book in the 17th minute for a heavy challenge on Bobby Wilson.
Alfreton had another chance seven minutes later when Reid’s ineffective attempt to punch away a Laurie Wilson cross-cum-shot almost cost a goal, until Alistair Asher popped up to head off the line for a corner.
At this stage the Reds were getting on top, and when Law picked out Cusworth in front of goal, Asher did superbly well to spread his body in front of the striker and block the shot.
For Hucknall, Kistell could not manage a connection onto a centre from Anthony Howell when well placed.
Cusworth went into the notebook in the 36th minute for a foul on Reid, which was to have later ramifications, before the Reds had penalty appeals refused when Reet went down under a challenge from Asher.
Chris Timons was the first Hucknall player booked on 39 minutes for a hefty challenge on Reet, but the on-loan Stags striker took his own vengeance two minutes later, leaving his foot in as he challenged Timons on the edge of the Hucknall area, and received an immediate red card.
The final chance of the half fell to Alfreton. Reid, who looked suspect throughout the match, was penalised and booked for handling outside his area on the Alfreton left, and as the keeper missed his punch onto the ensuing free kick, McFadzean seemed to have been clearly hauled down in the six yard box. Again, Mr Ledger refused to heed loud appeals for a penalty.
After the slow start to the first half, the second period was only 20 seconds old when Brown’s overlapping run carried him into the left of the area, but Laurie Wilson could not find the important touch onto the low cross at the far post.
However, five minutes into the half the Reds were cut to nine men, when Cusworth was shown a second yellow card for a foul.
And any thoughts about holding out for a goalless draw were dashed four minutes later when Kistell broke the deadlock. Fed by Asher in the right of the area, the Hucknall substitute hit a crisp, low tight-angled drive into the far corner.
Alfreton penalty appeals were rejected for a third time when Law, having moved forward to plough a lone furrow up front, looked to have been pulled down.
Instead, it was Hucknall who doubled their lead in the 62nd minute. McFadzean lost possession to Danny Mayman, whose great strike was parried at full stretch by Phil Senior, only for Bacon to pounce on the rebound and put it into the empty net.
With nothing now to lose, manager Law immediately sent on striker Peter Knox for defender Mark Barnard, who had come in for the suspended Matt Wilson.
And as the Reds pushed forward with purpose three minutes later they won a free kick on the edge of the box, from where Bowler curled a delightful shot into the top far corner.
The comeback was on, and Law hit the post from 30 yards, however the whistle had already gone for a handling offence and an Alfreton free kick.
But Hucknall were eager to exploit the gap left at the back and, as Howell surged into the box, Senior ended the run by blocking with his body, before the ever busy Bowler headed the resulting corner away.
The skipper typically then turned up at the other end of the field to win a corner for the Reds.
Alfreton were thrown a lifeline in the 74th minute when Robinson floored McFadzean in an off-the-ball incident as the lack of Christmas good will to all men continued to manifest itself, and the Reds responded by sending on Matt Glass to return to two men up front.
The game was almost put beyond them as it entered stoppage time, Senior turning over Howell’s rising drive.
Then two minutes into overtime sub Chris Walton’s centre found no takers. Hucknall broke, and Howell shot wide from a great position.
The miss was punished in the fourth minute of overtime. The Reds won a last chance corner which Walton took, and McFadzean’s header hit the inside of the post. It seemed to take an age to cross the line, and there was just time for the re-start before Mr Ledger sounded his final whistle.
HUCKNALL TOWN: Reid, Asher, McPherson, Timons, Cooke (Kistell 12), R. Wilson, Robinson, Mayman, Howell, Bacon (Saunders 75), Graves (Cullingworth 90). Subs not used: Thorpe, Smith.
ALFRETON TOWN: Senior, McFadzean, Brown, Barnard (Knox 62), Butler, Warne, Law (Glass 79), Bowler, Cusworth, Reet, L. Wilson (Walton 87). Subs not used: Hannigan, Sutcliffe.
REFEREE: Scott Ledger of Barnsley.
ATTENDANCE: 801.
GOALS: Hucknall – Kistell 54; Bacon 62. Alfreton – Bowler 65; McFadzean 90+4.
CAUTIONS: Hucknall – Timons 39 (foul on Reet); Reid 44 (deliberate hands outside area). Alfreton – Brown 17 (foul on R Wilson); Cusworth 36 (foul on Reid); Bowler 81 (foul on Saunders).
SENT OFF: Hucknall – Robinson 76 (violent conduct off ball on McFadzean). Alfreton – Reet 41 (violent conduct foul on Timons); Cusworth 50 (second cautionable, foul).
REDS MAN OF THE MATCH: Kris Bowler.
