ALFRETON gave Play-off chasing Hyde United a two goal lead inside the first 12 minutes and pulled a goal back on the half-hour, before the strength-sapping heat made the second half a virtual non-event.
After that nightmare opening period the Reds had the better of the remainder of the first half, and Matt Glass fashioned a well-taken goal in reply.
But despite a succession of corners and crosses into the Hyde area in the intervening period up to half time, Tigers keeper Craig Dootson was rarely troubled by more than routine work, either then or for the rest of the match.
Manager Marcus Ebdon admitted the dreadful start had cost them the game.
“You can’t go starting games like that, gifting the opposition goals, and that’s what we keep on doing,” he said afterwards.
“We don’t come and start playing on the front foot, but only start to play when we’ve fallen a goal or two behind.
“Yes, we did recover and Matt Glass’ pace had us getting in behind them. We looked good for a while then, and I didn’t want half time to arrive.
“In the second half they were happy just to sit in and keep what they had got, and we went right off the boil. There’s no point in blaming the heat because it was the same for both sides.
”It wasn’t quite the same, though. Hyde could afford to sit in, but Alfreton, who needed to work, never got going in a lack lustre second period.
Town could hardly have made a worse start, falling behind inside the first four minutes. Steve Pickford picked out Paul Gedman in the right of the area and his shot passed under the diving Dale Roberts to give the home side the lead they needed to keep their play-off hopes alive.
Two minutes later the first of several troublesome long throws by Nicky Clee brought a header from Earl Davis inside the six yard box, but he was unable to keep it down.
Then Alfreton’s first noteworthy attack in the ninth minute almost led to Hyde’s second goal.
Town won a corner on the left, Nathan Winder, slotting into midfield, saw his far post header held by Dootson, and the keeper cleared quickly downfield to Clee whose first time 20-yard volley beat Roberts but hit the bar.
However, three more minutes on, Hyde did get their second goal. Callum Flanagan could not cut out Clee’s pass to Gareth Seddon who shrugged off the attentions of Tommy Hannigan. Roberts brilliantly saved the initial shot one handed but the rebound fell kindly for Seddon who could hardly miss the empty net.
Roberts saved well again on 24 minutes, going down to his right in a one-on-one with Dale Johnson, and the fact that the keeper did particularly well to keep hold of the ball denied Johnson the second bite of the cherry that Seddon had enjoyed.
By this time, though, Alfreton were coming more into the picture, and although they lost striker Mark Rawle with a dislocated finger – he had to go to hospital and David Reeves substituted – that did not nullify the visitors’ new-found enterprise.
Indeed within two minutes of play restarting they had pulled a goal back. Glass raced onto Anton Brown’s astute through pass, but the chance seemed to have gone when he was closed down by two defenders on the 18-yard line.
However, the youngster wriggled free to beat Dootson with a fine shot.
Five minutes later Reeves miskicked when Tristram Whitman set up a good chance, and an angled cross by Ryan Clarke was headed from under the bar by Lincoln Adams.
The Reds failed to profit from a succession of crosses into the box, but in stoppage time Davis did just enough to put Reeves off his shot after some neat work by Glass.
Both sides made half time changes. Hannigan had pulled his back so Michael Harcourt made his appearance for Alfreton, with Winder dropping back into his more familiar central defensive position.
Five minutes in, Seddon stole the ball on the 18-yard line and brought a reflex save out of Roberts, but after that play became scrappy in the heat and chances were few and far between.
Clarke picked up a booking for pulling back Clee who had beaten him for pace, but the only other second half incident of note came 11 minutes from time.Glass chased Winder’s long ball along the right, brushing off the challenge of Michael Taylor and somehow keeping the ball in play at the same time. He then slipped it to Whitman who put over a teasing, curling cross which the inrunning Ashley Burbeary could not quite meet at the far post.
HYDE UNITED: Dootson, German, Caldecott, Davis (Taylor ht), Adams, Warner, Gedman (Lynch 49), Pickford, Johnson (Quigley 87), Seddon, Clee. Subs not used: Rick, Gregson.
ALFRETON: Roberts, Clarke, Brown, Hannigan (Harcourt ht), Laight, Winder, Burbeary, Flanagan, Glass, Rawle (Reeves 28), Whitman. Subs not used: Large, Hirst, Bingham.
REFEREE: Peter Wright of Southport.
ATTENDANCE: 355.
SCORERS: Hyde – Gedman 4; Seddon 12. Alfreton – Glass 30.
CAUTION: Alfreton – Clarke 54 (‘professional’ foul on Clee).

REDS MAN OF THE MATCH: Matt Glass.