2009/2010 Season. Pre-season friendly match no. 2.
Thursday, July 16th, 2009.

ALFRETON TOWN 1, Macclesfield Town 0


Report by Kev Miles. Match pics by Dave Purseglove here

A HARD WORKING Alfreton Town recorded a second, deserved, victory over Macclesfield Town in successive seasons at the Impact Arena from what was a very good work-out for both sides.
The only goal of the game came on ten minutes with England C striker Paul Clayton tucking home from six yards but there could have been many more as the Reds finished the game the stronger and fellow international Liam Hearn could have had a hat-trick in the last ten minutes alone but for visiting substitute keeper Paddy Gamble.
Both sides used numerous substitutions, Macc boss Keith Alexander changing nine of his side at half-time but a good paced flow to the game went unaltered.
The first change however, came before kick-off with Alfreton's Matt Wilson replaced by Aden Flint in the starting line-up as a precaution after picking up a slight thigh strain.
Persistent rain added zip to what looks an absolutely fantastic playing surface but it was a credit to both sides that they served up some very good football throughout in rain-lashed conditions.
After an even start, Alfreton registered the only goal on ten minutes. A run and deflected shot from the impressive Dominic Roma forced Macc keeper Jon Brain to go full length to turn the ball around his left hand post for a corner.
From the flag kick Brain kept out a Richard Pell shot but the ball fell for Paul Clayton to scramble inside the far post for 1-0.
As the League Two visitors sought to hit back Paul Ennis totally miscued an attempted shot on the edge of the penalty area after the Reds had failed to clear their lines from a corner.
Pell got in a superb sliding challenge to snatch the ball away from Ross Draper as he burst through from midfield and threatened to get free in the area.
John Rooney then found a yard inside the penalty area but his curling shot clipped off Flint and dropped just over the bar for another corner from which Ben Wright was picked out by Carl Tremarco but he put a completely free header into the turf and the ball bounced up nicely for Reds keeper Craig Dootson to claim.
As Alfreton returned to the attack, Brain raced yards out of his area to hack clear as Anthony Howell looked set to break clear down the right then Carl Tremarco got back just in time to steer the ball back to Brain ahead of Damien Reeves down the middle.
Just after the half hour some lovely one-touch football from Alfreton ended with a deep Roma right wing cross being headed behind by Howell.
The Reds found more joy down the right and after Howell had turned the Macclesfield defence inside out, another superb cross by Roma ended with Reeves taking a clattering as he put a header wide.
The visitors had plenty of possession for struggled for quality of pass in and around the 18-yard box but they did find a way through on 37 minutes with the Reds having two let-offs within seconds of each other.
Pell miskicked in trying to clear and the ball fell to Kristian Dennis who certainly to be hauled down in the 18-yard box. The ball broke to Rooney and instead of awarding a penalty, referee Mr Hutchinson waved play on and fortunately for the Reds, Rooney's curling shot around Dootson hit the inside of the left post and rolled along the line before being cleared.
Macclesfield were then denied by a save on the line by Dootson four minutes from the interval when he dropped onto a stabbed shot from Wright after Dennis had got in ahead of Pell.
Just before the interval whistle Josh Law floated a free kick into the visiting area but Pell could only direct his header into the arms of Brain.
Macclesfield manager Keith Alexander rang the changes at half time with only Izak Reid and Ricky Bains left on from the first half.
A sweeping pass from Kyle McFadzean was spoiled by Law straying marginally offside as the rain came down even heavier than in the first 45 minutes.
Liam Hearn replaced Damien Reeves for the Reds then Hall came on for Howell.
Clayton fed Law down the left but instead of going for goal, he opted to try and set Hearn up and allowed a defender to clear.
Paddy Gamble then had to race out to clear from a sharp-looking Hearn after which Ian Ross and Kris Bowler replaced Anton Brown and Mattie Burke who had been hugely prominent in the centre of the home midfield.
Mercifully, the rain abated ten minutes into a second half of which carried a quicker pace about it with Macclesfield looking to break at speed and Alfreton looking dangerous down the flanks.
The substitutions continued from both sides, Clayton being replaced by Brian Cusworth for the hosts, Hamza Bencherif coming on for Ricky Bains for Macc who then sent on Simon Yeo for Izak Reid.
Unfortunately for Yeo, he only lasted eight minutes before having to be replaced himself with a gashed head whilst helping out in what was becoming a hard worked visiting defence.
Hearn was shrugged off the ball by a Macclesfield defender as he set himself to shoot on 74 minutes and two minutes later Hearn fed Jordan Hall who won a right flank corner as Alfreton began to build up an attacking head of steam to the end.
Lawrence Matthewson gave Craig Dootson a respite from the heavy rains which had returned with a vengeance with trialist Lewis Trimmer taking over from Josh Law.
If this had been a league match, Kris Bowler would undoubtedly have received a red card for an awful late challenge through the back of Macclesfield's Vinny Mukendi. He was fortunate to get a sarcastic reprimand off from Mr Hutchinson.
McFadzean threaded a superb ball through for Hearn but his low left-footed shot was held on the floor by Gamble.
Ross had a belting shot painfully blocked by a defender and from the follow up, Ross's shot was deflected over for a corner.
Hall fed a ball in from the right for Cusworth in front of goal and Macclesfield once again had Gamble to thank for a superb close range blocked save to keep the deficit down to just one.
And Gamble was again in denying mood shortly after when he got himself right in line with a Hearn shot after he had cut in from the right as the Reds cut through time and again.
The last two chances also belonged to Alfreton with Gamble producing another good stop to again deny Hearn, then as the Silkmen failed to clear their lines, Bowler fizzed a 25-yarder just wide.

ALFRETON TOWN: Craig Dootson (Lawrence Matthewson 76), Dominic Roma, Kyle McFadzean, Aden Flint, Richard Pell, Mattie Burke (Kris Bowler 62), Josh Law (Lewis Trimmer 76), Anton Brown (Ian Ross 62), Anthony Howell (Jordan Hall 61), Paul Clayton (Brian Cusworth 67), Damien Reeves (Liam Hearn 57).
MACCLESFIELD TOWN: Jon Brain (Paddy Gamble h/t), Izak Reid (Simon Yeo 73 (Gary Simpson 83)), Carl Tremarco (Matt Lowe h/t), Ricky Bains (Hamza Bencherif 67), Shaun Brisley (Matthew Flynn h/t), Ross Draper (Michael Thomas h/t), Lee Bell (Paul Bolland h/t), John Rooney (Kyle Wilson h/t), Ben Wright (Vinny Mukendi h/t), Kristian Dennis (Emile Sinclair h/t), Paul Ennis (Colin Daniel h/t).
REFEREE: Mark Hutchinson of Bingham.
ATTENDANCE: 238.
BOOKINGS: one.
REDS MAN OF THE MATCH: Mattie Burke.