2006/2007 Season. Match no.47, final game of season - Conference North
Saturday, April 28th, 2007
Kettering Town 0, ALFRETON TOWN 1

ALFRETON Town’s departing manager Marcus Ebdon signed off with a prestigious victory at second-placed Kettering Town as the Reds ended their season on a positive note.
The three points secured 14th place and Alfreton’s highest points total in the Conference North since the new division was inaugurated three seasons ago.
Mark Rawle’s 33rd-minute strike was enough to enable the Reds to shock their high-flying hosts, although the Poppies had nothing really at stake with second place already assured.
But for Ebdon it was a case of ‘if only’.
He said: "It was nice to sign off with three points - I wish they had played like that further down the line.
"It was a nice achievement to get the highest total of points for Alfreton in the Conference North."
Reflecting on his brief managerial stint at the Impact Arena following the departure of Gary Mills, Ebdon added: “It was a good experience and I've thoroughly enjoyed it. It would have been nice to start next season by bringing in my own players but I was not given that chance. My destiny lies elsewhere".
David Reeves did not join Ebdon in seeing the season out, and Bryn Gunn was in the dugout in his place.
The 52 fans in the away end at Rockingham Road certainly gave Ebdon a good send-off and, after a minute’s applause for the late Alan Ball, generated an end of season party atmosphere, outsinging the home fans in a 1,204 crowd throughout.
On the pitch, though, there was little sign of party-time, although the ‘end of season’ bit was there, for Kettering now have the Play-offs to think about.
Even so, Dale Roberts was the first of the two keepers called into action, going down well to his left to smother Andy Hall’s shot on the turn.
Alfreton’s first attack of note saw Matt Glass and the returning Emeka Nwadike combining to set up Ryan Clarke who had overlapped along the right. His centre was helped on by a Kettering defender to Rawle, whose 10-yard header was too high.
Alfreton enjoyed a good spell with Ashley Burbeary lashing a cross from Glass behind off Andre Boucard for a corner, from which Brett Solkhon blocked Nwadike’s 18-yard effort.
When the home side tried to respond Hall stumbled as he was about to shoot after being put through by Darren Caskey, and he could only pull his finish wide.
Rawle’s shot on the turn in the 25th minute was held by home keeper Mark Osborn. But the striker had better luck, literally, eight minutes later. His looping header from Burbeary’s cross seemed to deceive Osborn who appeared to have it covered but may have lost sight of it in the bright sunshine.
Whatever the reason, it crept over the line, and it took a few seconds before it dawned on the Reds fans that they were ahead and had something to celebrate.
Rawle almost turned creator some six minutes after that when he did well to set up Nwadike whose shot just beat the far post.
Stung into a response, Kettering strove for an equaliser in the last five minutes of the half, and when Rawle, digging out in defence, headed Serge Mafoko’s cross clear it fell to Caskey who shot was just wide.
Then Mafoko himself saw his effort well blocked by Ryan Laight.
The home side despaired and their supporters groaned in anguish nine minutes into the second half, when Caskey’s deep free kick was met at the back post by Luke Graham who, with a good chance, could not keep his header on target.
The Poppies kept plugging away to no avail. Craig Westcarr’s inviting cross into the box had no takers, Boucard’s 25-yard drive was just wide, and Nathan Winder was on hand to head Hall’s sharp effort for a corner.
But the Reds rode that mini-storm and David Perpetuini was relieved to hack Glass’ threatening cross for a corner following more good work by Burbeary.
Alfreton then won three corners in succession – Osborn flapped at the first to concede a follow-up, from which Perpetuini had to thump the ball behind at the near post, before Osborn held on to Tommy Hannigan’s looping header from the third.
Burbeary brought a great save out of Osborn when he met Tristram Whitman’s cross on the volley, but Laight almost gifted an equaliser when he gave the ball away to Stephan Seanla who, with only Roberts to beat, completely missed the target.
And the Reds’ keeper ended his year on loan from Forest with a tremendous save as Hall unleashed a 20-yard howitzer three minutes from time.
KETTERING: Osborn, Graham, Perpetuini, Solkhon, Theobald, Peprah, Hall, Boucard, Howe (Westcarr 13), Caskey (Seanla 70), Mafoko (Marna ht). Subs not used: Nicell, Bussey.
ALFRETON: Roberts, Clarke, Barnard (Ebdon 83), Winder (Hannigan 60), Laight, Nwadike, Burbeary (Harcourt 86), Brown, Glass, Rawle, Whitman. Subs not used: Flanagan, Large.
REFEREE: P. Grove of Stourbridge.
ATTENDANCE: 1,204.
GOAL: Alfreton – Rawle 33.
CAUTIONS: Alfreton – Rawle 74 (foul on Perpetuini).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Anton Brown.