2004/05 - Match No. 41
Nationwide North
Tuesday, February 8th, 2005
Lancaster City 0, Alfreton Town 1
ALFRETON Town’s woeful start to their 2005 league season was ended on Tuesday night as they began February’s Conference North programme with three points at the Giant Axe.
A Peter Duffield goal two minutes before half time was enough for the Reds to swing their own axe on that miserable record, and kept alive their play-off hopes which, it must be said, were starting to fade a little.
Surprisingly after his injury against Woking on Saturday, when it was believed he had torn a stomach muscle, Ben Chapman was fit to take his place in the starting line-up, although he did suffer another injury right at the end of the match.
And another boost was the return to fitness of Carl Bradshaw, who turned in a useful full 90 minutes.
The three points were fully merited, for the Dolly Blues were allowed few chances and Lee Butler barely had a save to make throughout the 90 minutes.
On the other hand, the Reds had enough chances to have won by a bigger margin than the single goal.
After the initial settling in period Alfreton created the first real chance in the 10th minute. Mark Blount’s cross was flicked on by Duffield for Chapman, whose outstretched leg was not quite able to make a telling connection.
The greasy surface played a part in the next two significant moments. Firstly a City defender lost his footing trying to intercept Chris Bettney’s through ball, letting Duffield in, but the striker’s finish was weak.
And then Godber slipped at the vital moment as he was about to shoot after being put through by the busy Duffield.
Godber shot into the side netting midway through the half as the better-placed Matt Fisher and Duffield were both screaming for him to square the ball to oneof them.
But it was not until the 29th minute that Butler tasted any action, and that was only to claim Martin Clark’s awkward hanging cross from the right.
On the other hand, Butler’s opposite number Jamie Speare had to push away Bradshaw’s free kick from the right under pressure from Blount, while Godber shot tamely at the keeper from the overlapping Michael Simpkins’ low cross.
However, Lancaster almost grabbed a 33rd-minute lead against the run of play. Steve Jones hit on the break and set up Thomson who tried to pick his spot but shot against the post.
That spurred the home side into action, and Jones tried a 20-yarder which was too high, while Blount had to clear as Thomson flicked the ball through towards goal with Jones closing in dangerously.
That was in the 42nd minute, and a minute later Duffield showed the home side how it should be done.
Again the greasy pitch was instrumental, as Bettney took advantage of a slip by Andy Scott on the right edge of the box. He quickly fed Duffield who took two steps before firing crisply past Speare.
The second half took a while to spark into life, until the travelling fans appealed loudly for a penalty for hands, although the players themselves were reticent.
It arose after Bettney had burst through and squared to Blount, whose cross found Duffield, and the striker’s shot on the turn was blocked.
Luke Foster saw a powerful header onto Bettney’s corner well held on 57 minutes, before City won a rare chance a minute later. Thomson was put through, but Butler advanced and forced him wide so that the shot finished in the side netting.
Speare had to be off his line quickly, too, to prevent Fisher from getting in a goal attempt after a well-worked interchange with Bettney.
However, the Reds should have gone two up in the 70th minute. Godber chased the ball to the right by-line and pulled it back for Duffield, whose first touch let him down, forcing him wide.
Duffield’s persistence nevertheless enabled him to turn the ball back in towards Fisher in the six yard box, but the pass carried too much weight, Fisher was unable to connect, and Clark cleared.
Godber fired over the bar from 25 yards after Chapman had intelligently chested down Bettney’s pass, but Lancaster’s last real chance, nine minutes from time, saw substitute Tony Sullivan head a left wing cross over Butler’s bar.
In the closing stages Speare held Duffield’s well-struck shot on the turn from Fisher’s lay-off, and Bettney aimed too high from just outside the area.
But the Reds had done enough to make the long night-time journey home with something to celebrate at last.
MATCH DETAILS
LANCASTER: Speare, Clark, Scott, Sparrow, McMahon, Hollis (Sullivan 76), Uberschar, Jones, Thomson, Black (Hughes 74), Prince. Subs not used; Dawes, Bauress, Yeomans.
ALFRETON: Butler, Blount, Simpkins, Foster, Brown, Bradshaw, Bettney, Fisher, Godber (Sale 85), Duffield, Chapman (Holmes 89). Subs not used: Cooper, Nwadike, Woolley.
REFEREE: Andy Newell of Blackpool.
ATTENDANCE: 212.
SCORER: Alfreton - Duffield 43.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Peter Duffield.