2004/05 - Match No. 44
Nationwide North
Saturday, February 19th, 2005
Nuneaton Borough 1, Alfreton Town 1
Report by Gordon Foster (Mansfield CHAD). Pics by Phil Lucic.

A
ALFRETON went a long way towards restoring their credibility with a hard-earned draw at Manor Park on Saturday.
The Reds had come under heavy fire for their midweek misery at Hucknall, and had a big point to prove against second-placed Nuneaton.
Chairman Wayne Bradley, who had been scathing in his comments after the local derby debacle, was satisfied that his criticism had been answered.
"I didn't enjoy what I had to say on Tuesday," said the chairman.
"I asked people to make me and others eat our words, and today went a long, long way towards doing exactly that.
"Today we have gone some way to proving that this is a better side than one which has been dropping points. We showed that there is character in the side and in the club.
"If the players continue to prove me and those who criticised the club wrong I'll be proud to acknowledge that."
Mr Bradley added: "I'm delighted to come to a place like Nuneaton and see us put in a good performance, and to look for parts of the game as though we could clinch a win.
"We've got a point on the way to a recovery back to a position which was a great one before it had slipped.
"I'm pleased for the players, the management and the fans who have witnessed what they wanted to see, which was a reaction."
Both goals came in a four-minute spell just before midway into the second half, Matty Collins' 57th-minute opener for Borough being cancelled out by Peter Duffield’s equaliser.
But while Nuneaton were the better side in terms of football played and chances created, there was no faulting the Reds' heart for the battle.
Even so, the game began slowly and did not raise any pulse rates until the 9th minute when referee Carl Dunn was less than impressed by loud home penalty appeals, after Kevin Wilkin went down in the area under Grant Brown's challenge, the official merely indicating 'get up' to the striker.
Then Reds keeper Lee Butler stretched high to hold Stuart Whittaker's free kick from the right after Ben Chapman had bundled Wilkins over just outside the box.
Luke Foster might have given Alfreton the lead, though, in the 18th minute as he rose to meet Carl Bradshaw's free kick, but his unchallenged header was tame and Darren Acton was allowed a routine save.
Whittaker and Wilkins both went close for the home side midway through the half, but home skipper Neil Moore made a vital headed interception for a corner as Duffield looked set to get on the end of Bradshaw's lobbed centre.
Butler again showed his value to the Reds with an excellent save five minutes before the break, throwing himself to his left to claw away Whittaker's stinging 25-yard direct free kick.
As the second half got under way, Mark Blount had to make an important interception when Wilkin tried to put Mark Noon in on goal.
But the travelling fans breathed again six minutes in as Brian Quailey, on loan from Stevenage, scooped over from close range when a free kick was not cleared.
However, Nuneaton got their noses in front on 57. Foster did well to divert Brian McGorry's high cross for a corner, but that was not cleared and, as the ball bounced around in the area, Collins got the vital touch to steer it in from close range.
Two minutes later Blount limped off - the first time in his Alfreton career that he had ever been substituted. Ben Chapman dropped to left back with David Holmes filling the vacant midfield berth.
And within two more minutes Duffield restored parity, as Bradshaw's long throw from the right eluded everyone in its path to reach the Reds striker, who was left with a simple tap in.
Twice Butler made superlaitve one-on-one saves to deny substitute Gez Murphy in one-on-ones, while at the other end Acton was tested by Mick Godber's fast 25-yard ground shot.
But Nuneaton scorned two more chances to win it in the closing stages, Quailey heading McGory's cross over and Murphy also firing too high with only Butler to beat after escaping the offside.
MATCH DETAILS
NUNEATON: Acton, Oddy, Love, McGorry, Moore, Cowen, Collins, Noon, Wilkin (Murphy 65), Quailey, Whittaker. Subs not used: Wilson, Fren, Fitzpatrick, Tulloin.
ALFRETON: Butler, Bradshaw, Blount (Holmes 59), Foster, Brown, Nwadike, Robinson, Fisher, Godber, Duffield, Chapman. Subs not used: Woolley, Sale, Teather, Cooper.
REFEREE: Carl Dunn of Stoke-on-Trent.
ATTENDANCE: 928.
SCORERS: Nuneaton - Collins 57. Alfreton - Duffield 61.
CAUTIONS: Alfreton - Chapman 44 (late challenge on Oddy); Blount 50 (high challenge on Collins).
REDS MAN OF THE MATCH: Lee Butler.