2005/06 season match No.49
Saturday, April 15th, 2006
Nationwide North
Lancaster City 2 , Alfreton Town 2
Match report by Gordon Foster (Mansfield CHAD). Pics by Phil Lucic.

MANAGER Gary Mills tore into his players as they trooped off into the dressing room at the Giant Axe on Saturday.
For 80 minutes the Reds had dominated a poor Lancaster City side and a Jon Stevenson double had put them on their way to their first away win since August Bank Holiday Monday.
But then they switched off, conceded two goals in the last 10 minutes, and in the end were hanging desperately on for a point.
It should have been the end of any mathematical relegation worries. Instead the Reds were left still not quite there, still looking nervously over their shoulders, and still with a few nagging doubts that the sides below them may just magic a few rabbits out of top hats.
Assistant manager Darron Gee was no less lenient on his players than his senior partner, and the normally reliable Ryan Clarke in particular - for it was Clarke's errors that led to both the Dolly Blues' goals.
“With 10 minutes to go we had the game won, and then Clarke made two silly mistakes which cost us,” he fumed.
“First he tried to shield the ball instead of getting it away and out of danger, and that goal put us on the back foot.
“Then he conceded a silly free kick, which is something we’ve done too often this season.
“We ended up having to hang on for a draw in a match which should have been all over long before then, and Gary and I are bitterly disappointed.
“The fans were brilliant and deserved better. We should have been able to go into Monday’s game with Hyde relaxed and putting on a show for them, instead of which we now have to grind out more points.”
Alfreton could hardly have made a better start, for they led after just 53 seconds.
Sam Litchfield flicked on to Stevenson who stayed just onside, and ran on to beat the exposed Tony McMillan.
That was how it stayed until half time, but in truth Alfreton could and should have been out of sight by the turn round.
Dave Robinson twice went close inside the first 13 minutes, first with a 20-yard effort from a corner and then with a rising drive when another corner was not cleared.
Chris Howard was also unlucky when he found a way around the back of Neil Uberschar. His driven cross rebounded to him off a defender, and his vicious follow-up was headed away from the far post by skiipper Joe McMahon.
Stevenson also had at least three chances to stretch the lead in the first half after getting into some good positions, but put them over the bar.
And when Mark Turner's header over the top sent Litchfield on a goalward run, the Wigan Athletic loanee elected to shoot rather than cross to the inrunning Michael Rankine.
The shot was weak, and McMillan had no problems with the save at the near post.
The closest Alfreton came to a second goal, though, was five minutes before the break when, following good work by Matt Fisher and Stevenson, Rankine's blockbuster clipped the far post and went behind.
Simon Rayner had had only one first half save of note to make, but that was a superb push aside for a corner to deny Alex Taylor.
With Howard having suffered a back injury, Liam Powell appeared for the second half, and his trademark long throws became another source of danger for the home side.
However, it was City who had the first chance three minutes in when Rayner had to parry one handed from Taylor following a corner and then recover to turn it for a second flag kick.
But Alfreton doubled their lead five minutes later. Fisher was fouled by Steve Skinner just outside the area, and Stevenson drilled the free kick through the narrowest of gaps in the defensive wall and past the despairing dive of McMillan.
Stevenson continued to look lively, volleying just too high in the 55th minute and then, five minutes later, a bit of sheer magic in the area opened up the chance for a shot which was scrambled away at the post.
The little striker was unlucky yet again when Rankine's good work created another opening for Powell, whose shot struck the in-running Stevenson. It should have rebounded into the empty net, but it defied geometry and went wide.
City sounded a 66th-minute warning when Rayner saved at point blank range from Matt Bailey.
But then it all turned sour.
With eight minutes to go Clarke was caught in possession, Ryan Elderton crossed from near the corner flag, and Bailey forced a header over the line at the near post.
Griff Jones over-ran the ball wide as the now buoyant home side stepped up the pressure.
But he had better luck when Clarke conceded a needless free kick. The ball bounced around in the box, was not cleared, and Jones, in far too much space, lashed in the equaliser, four minutes from time.
It was a bitter pill for Alfreton to swallow. Their fine 80-minute display was forgotten, and all that was left for the hardy travelling fans to reflect on was the unnecessary loss of two more points, and their favourites’ propensity to do everything the hard way.
LANCASTER: McMillan, Dodd (Greenwood 35), Scott, Brown, McMahon, Elderton, Skinner, Uberschar (Smith ht), Taylor, Bailey, Sullivan (Jones 55). Subs not used: Feeney, Foxcroft.
ALFRETON: Rayner, Clarke, Featherstone, Robinson, Friars, Turner, Howard (Powell ht), Fisher, Rankine (Godber 85), Stevenson, Litchfield (Bettney 80). Subs not used: Mills, Bodkin.
REFEREE: Douglas Stewart of Wallasey.
ATTENDANCE: 254.
SCORERS: Lancaster - Bailey 82; Jones 86. Alfreton - Stevenson 1, 50.
REDS MAN OF THE MATCH: Jon Stevenson.