2007/2008 Season. Game no. 41. Blue Square Conference North
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Nuneaton Borough 1, ALFRETON TOWN 0

Report by Frank Bridges

ALFRETON Town made it four games without a goal as they slipped to defeat on their first visit to Nuneaton’s new Liberty Way ground on Saturday.
Without a goal at the right end, that is, for the only one in this match was an own goal by Reds skipper Tony Butler 11 minutes into the second half.
The absence through holiday of manager Nicky Law served only to fuel already mounting speculation that he was about to quit the club and lead the planned revival at UniBond Division One North club Bradford Park Avenue.
Law did not miss much. For this was a dour, scrappy affair made even worse by the strong wind which controlled most of the 90 minutes.
And even after Borough had Connor Franklin sent off nine minutes from time for apparently stamping on Laurie Wilson, there was still no way for the Reds to undo the damage of that own goal.
Nuneaton threatened after only 20 seconds when Butler was on hand to tidy up from Alex Rodman’s dangerous cross from the by-line.
And Laurence Matthewson, making his starting debut in goal for the injured Kyle Sutcliffe, was troubled in the fourth minute as Andy Brown’s cross hit him in the chest and went behind for a corner.
Matthewson was more confident in the 13^th minute when he caught Matty Collins’ cross under pressure from Rodman.
Danny Reet was frustrated by Craig McIlwain’s good tackle back as he tried to put Paul Clayton in on the home goal, but Alfreton should have taken a 17^th minute lead. Kris Bowler’s corner was forced out to Steve Warne who crossed back into the area only to see Matt Wilson head over at close range.
The wind got the better of a probing crossfield pass from Chris Walton and carried it out of play despite Clayton’s best efforts and, after Laurie Wilson had done well to halt Rodman’s darting run, home keeper Darren Acton needed two attempts to hold Josh Law’s fierce 30-yard speculative attempt.
It was sweet and sour for Matthewson just after the half hour. First his attempted punch onto Rodman’s free kick seemed to lack conviction and landed for Bradley Pritchard to fire the loose ball over the bar from 18 yards, then the keeper did better to clutch Collins’ looping header in the wind.
There was a heart-stopping moment for the Reds seven minutes into the second half. Rodman forced the ball out wide to Collins, whose whipped centre flew across the face of goal with two diving home forwards failing to make contact.
As the ball was played back in Butler headed it behind, and from the corner Matthewson expertly tipped home skipper Tom Curtis’ bullet header over the bar.
But it all went wrong in the 56^th minute. Curtis fed a deep free kick and as Matthewson came out to collect it his skipper headed it over him and into his own net.
Nuneaton appealed loudly and unsuccessfully for a penalty only a minute later when Laurie Wilson tackled back to halt another surging run from Rodman.
Law thought he had equalised in the 77^th minute at the end of Alfreton’s best move of the match. Laurie Wilson launched it with a delightful ball to Anton Brown whose cross from the right was met by Law’s strong downward header, but Acton made an amazing save, diving to his left to turn it for a corner.
Four minutes later Franklin was given a straight red card for stamping on Laurie Wilson, but the Reds were unable to capitalise on their extra man.
Indeed the only real chance after that, in the third minute of stoppage time, fell to home substitute Robert Taylor, whose rasping drive found Matthewson equal to it to tip it brilliantly around his post.
NUNEATON BOROUGH: Acton, Travis, Franklin, Curtis, Moore, Cowan, Collins (Taylor 85), Pritchard, Andy Brown (Noon 41), Rodman, McIlwain. Subs not used: Edmond, Williams, Oddy.
ALFRETON TOWN: Matthewson, L. Wilson, Anton Brown, M. Wilson (McDonald 84), Butler, Warne (Pacey 67), Law, Walton, Clayton, Reet (Cusworth 73), Bowler. Subs not used: Barnard, Dodds.
REFEREE: Daniel Meeson of Stoke-on-Trent.
ATTENDANCE: 797.GOAL: Nuneaton – Butler og 56.
CAUTIONS: Nuneaton – Noon 60 (dissent); Pritchard 76 (foul on Clayton). Alfreton – Butler 43 (foul on Rodman); M. Wilson 80 (unsporting conduct).
SENT OFF: Nuneaton – Franklin 81 (violent conduct – stamp on L. Wilson).

REDS MAN OF THE MATCH: Laurence Matthewson.