2004/05 - Match No. 18
Nationwide North
Tuesday, October 26th, 2004
Alfreton Town 2, Nuneaton Borough 0
Report by Gordon Foster (Mansfield CHAD)
ALFRETON Town saw the shine taken off Tuesday night’s victory as skipper Mark Hume suffered a fractured tibia and fibia which looks to have ended his season.
The accident happened in the last minute of a goalless first half, before Grant Brown and John Knapper sealed the win with two goals, both from corners, after the interval.
The Reds gave full value for their win in front of an encouraging crowd of 468.
They dominated the midfield, where the energetic Matt Fisher played a starring role and Knapper’s goal was just reward for his hard-working performance.
And even after the defence had to be re-organised following Hume’s injury, they were so effective that Lee Butler never had a real save to make, as the Borough forwards were totally snuffed out despite some attractive approach play.
That was a point picked up after the match by assistant boss Charlie Williamson.
He said: “After Saturday’s defeat we asked for a big performance, and we got it. It was a worthy win.
“Give credit to Nuneaton, they’ve come and tried to play a good passing game, and they’ve put us under a bit of pressure for a spell in the first half when we had to block some shots and crosses.
“But we defended well and it’s nice to keep a clean sheet.
“Obviously the injury to Mark Hume took some of the gloss off the win, and everyone wishes him a speedy recovery, but it looks a bad one.”
Williamson also paid tribute to the midfield pairing of Fisher and Knapper who effectively ran the show despite the absence of the cultured Mitch Ward.
The ex-Everton star may well have been missed for his ability to put his foot on the ball and slow things down - most of the 90 minutes were played at a frenetic pace.
But Knapper showed that he can still come in and do a first rate job, while Fisher’s work rate, as always, was top class - as Williamson said: “He covers the ground like no-one else can. He’s settled into the side and is a great member of the team.”
Nuneaton posed the first threat inside the opening two minutes, when Hume had to head Stuart Whittaker’s dangerous cross for a corner after Gary Fitzpatrick had sent the winger away along the left.
Mick Godber had the ball in the Nuneaton net in the seventh minute after Hume headed Mark Blount’s free kick back across goal, but a linesman’s flag ruled that one out.
Knapper and Fisher both had efforts saved and Godber went close as Alfreton took control, but a spell of Nuneaton pressure ended when Avun Jephcott shot wide from 12 yards after being set up by Whittaker’s well-placed cross.
Then Hume had to head clear from almost under the bar when Stuart Wilson’s centre briefly threatened more danger to the Reds’ rearguard.
As Alfreton took a hold on the game again, an impressive build up saw Knapper and Peter Duffield both have shots blocked, while Borough keeper Darren Acton turned Chris Bettney’s driven cross around the near post.
A minute before half time Hume went down injured during a melee following a Reds corner, the stretcher was immediately called for, and the skipper was carried off accompanied by the club doctor, and taken to hospital.
Ian Robinson replaced him, going to left back with Blount moving into central defence.
The second half took a little time to get going, but Alfreton had a scare in the 56th minute when Whittaker beat the offside onto Robert Oddy’s visionary through ball. But Butler was quick to cut the angle, and the winger could only hit the side netting.
That miss was punished a minute later. Bettney’s deep cross was headed back across goal by Emeka Nwadike for Knapper, whose shot was deflected for a corner off the foot of Chris Tullin.
But Bettney’s resulting flag kick was met by the stooping head of Brown who, with space to spare, guided the ball under the bar to give the Reds the advantage.
Fisher almost doubled the lead two minutes later after Nwadike sent him on a run along the right. The buzzing midfielder turned neatly inside his marker before curling a 20-yarder just over the bar.
And Fisher was denied again 10 minutes from time with a fast 30-yard daisy-cutter that deceived Acton, but hit him and rebounded up and over the bar.
However, the resulting flag kick was only half-cleared to Knapper who, from the edge of the area, arrowed a crisp low drive through a packed defence past the unsighted keeper and into the bottom corner.
MATCH DETAILS
ALFRETON: Butler, Bradshaw, Blount, Hume (Robinson 45), Brown, Knapper, Bettney, Fisher, Godber (Goddard 83), Duffield (Sale 83), Nwadike. Subs not used: Dolby, Holmes.
NUNEATON: Acton, Oddy, Love, McGorry, Moore, Tullin, Wilson, Fitzpatrick, Jephcott, Frew (Fox 78), Whittaker. Subs not used: Noon, Collins, Farmer, Poole.
REFEREE: Gary Lomas of Sheffield.
ATTENDANCE: 468.
SCORERS: Alfreton - Brown 57; Knapper 81.
CAUTIONS: Alfreton - Bradshaw 62 (unsporting conduct). Nuneaton - McGorry 82 (unsporting conduct); Love 90 (foul on Bettney).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Matt Fisher.