Alfreton Town Football Club
Match reports
2004/05

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Pre-season match no. 2
Wednesday, July 21st, 2004
Alfreton Town 0, Hull City 2
Report by Gordon Foster (Mansfield CHAD).
A STRONG side sent out by Coca Cola League One Hull City for the first half of last Wednesday night’s pre-season friendly at the Impact Arena proved just a touch too much for Alfreton to cope with.
The Reds trailed 2-0 at the break, but a more even second half, in which both sides rang the changes, ended without further score.
The match was fixed up as part of the transfer deal which took Ryan France to the KC Stadium at the end of last September.
But Reds fans hoping to see a full 90 minutes from their former favourite were disappointed as Tigers boss Peter Taylor did not send him out until the second half.
The match was settled by goals from Jon Walters (17) and Danny Allsopp (35), and although in the first half Alfreton knocked the ball around well, with Mitch Ward directing operations in central midfield, one always felt that Hull, if they wished, had enough in reserve to step up a gear.
But, as manager Dave Lloyd pointed out afterwards: “Hull were a different class tothe Chesterfield side we beat at the start of last season, and we won’t be playing teams with that sort of quality in our own league.
“They payed us a big compliment by sending out such a strong side, and it was good for us because we had to work hard for everything we got.
“I was pleased overall by the way the game went - it was more about testing things out and sharpening players up than getting a result.”
Lloyd also had a word of praise for the groundsman, adding that the pitch ‘looked a picture’ - indeed the whole stadium has been taken up a level in standard by the hard-working committee who have put in countless hours during the close season.
But the downside was the lack of floodlights - the old ones have been dismantled and the new state of the art lights are not yet up.
And on a cloudy, overcast evening, referee Russell Booth’s decision to bring the kick-off forward 15 mnutes to 7.30 was justified - even then he blew two minutes early at the end as darkness descended.
After a tentative opening Hull moved up a notch, winning a couple of corners in the 16th and 17th minutes, from the second of which the ball dropped invitingly for Walters in the six yard box to hit home almost unchallenged.
When Alfreton won their first corner three minutes later Mark Hume could not quite manage a telling header onto Ward’s flag kick.
Alfreton were playing some pleasing football at times as they were afforded the room to do so, but it was City who struck again in the 35th minute.
Stuart Green lofted a deep cross from the right which was headed back into the danger area by Stuart Elliott, and Allsopp looped a close range header which found its way over Gavin Saxby before dropping under the bar.
Walters was close to a third four minutes later, but succeeded only in bundling the cross wide at the near post after Tom Matthews had got away along the right.
And two more minutes on Saxby produced an excellent one on one save to deny Allsopp.
But Burton Albion keeper Matt Duke, turning out for Hull, had had little to do in the way of shots to save.
Both sides rang the changes at half time and through the second period, with Hull sending out France and 42-year-old coach Steve Butler alongside some younger players.
Chris Dolby was quickly into action onhis introduction with a lively run down the left inside the first minute.
Walters had the ball in Saxby’s net four minutes in, but saw it disallowed for offside.
As Alfreton stepped up the pressure Hume picked out Dolby with a superb crossfield ball which saw the winger win a corner, from which the big defender’s downward header was cleared behind for a second flag kick. That one bounced around in the box before being cleared.
Mick Goddard was also getting then chance to show his paces, but he clipped one good chance wide after smart work by Dolby.
Youngster Steve Woolley was sent on in the 73rd minute, and twice in quick succession he had the beating of France, before Dolby flashed a cross shot past the far post from the right.
The game had been played in a great spirit, and France in particular was busily engaged in signing autographs for several home fans as he left the Impact Arena pitch, probably for the last time.
ALFRETON: Saxby, Bradshaw (Robinson h/t), Pearce (Blount h/t), Hume, Brown, Knapper (Nwadike 61), Ward (Woolley 73), Fisher (Holmes 67), Godber (Goddard h/t), Duffield (Sale 65), Bettney (Dolby h/t).
HULL: Duke, Matthews, Dawson (Fry h/t), Ashbee (Joseph h/t), Hinds (Tomlinson h/t), Elliott (France h/t), Allsopp (Wilbraham h/t), Walters (McGarry 69), Green (Donaldson h/t), Delaney (Butler h/t), Lewis (Ashley Allanson h/t). Subs not used: Aspden, Anderson, Aaron Allanson.
REFEREE: Russell Booth of Mansfield.
ATTENDANCE: 563.