Report by Gordon Foster (Mansfield CHAD). Pics by Phil Lucic.

A DRAB end-of-season affair between two sides with little to play for brought an almost inevitable goalless draw at the Impact Arena on Saturday.
And although Alfreton will not be going into Tuesday’s Derbyshire Senior Cup final second leg on the back of five straight defeats, they at least managed to end a run of four on a day when most of the talking points were centred on the nasties in an ill-tempered 90 minutes.
Redditch made it clear that they were in no mood to take prisoners, and could have had more than just the one red card, shown to Howard Forinton for what the referee indicated was use of an elbow during a melee – not that the Reds were entirely innocent either, and twice after being booked Laurie Wilson could also have walked.
Manager Nicky Law made two changes from the starting line-up whose good performance at Southport had gone unrewarded. Rob Pacey had recovered from injury in time to replace the suspended Matt Wilson, while Josh Law, also finally fit again, slotted in for Kris Bowler.
The game began brightly enough and with less than a minute gone United keeper Danny Lewis had to sprawl full length to claw away Matt Glass’ 20-yard daisy-cutter. Brian Cusworth pounced on the rebound but was quickly crowded out before he could do anything with it.
But from then on the entertainment level nosedived as the two defences, led by respective giants Alfreton’s Tony Butler and United’s Exodus Geohaghon kept a firm grip, both of using their considerable height to advantage to deal with any high balls as well as breaking up any threats from the opposing forwards.
Richard Softley countered dangerously in United’s first attack in the 10th minute, but as he cut in along the right by-line Glass and Anton Brown combined to shut him out.
Cusworth, who had figured in what promised to be an interesting battle with Geohaghon, pulled up with a calf strain in the 24th minute, and was replaced by Danny Reet.
Things started to sour on the half-hour when an off-ball incident between Wilson and James Johnson brought a yellow card for each.
But both referee and his assistant missed a much more serious off-ball foul six minutes later, when Geohaghon should certainly have made his ‘Exodus’ after clattering into Paul Clayton in the visitors’ penalty area, and then appearing to stamp on him with the referee’s back turned as he watched play elsewhere on the park.
The action carried on with Reet working his way into the area but seeing his disappointing finish comfortably saved.
Play was then finally stopped with Clayton still down, and the official consulted his assistant but he, too, had seen nothing, so Geohaghon went unpunished.
According to the Worcestershire press visitors it was an out-of-character incident which badly marred the normally gentle giant’s otherwise commanding personal performance, and thereafter his every touch of the ball was met by a chorus of boos from the home fans behind the goal, who had witnessed it at closest quarters.
There was more indiscipline from Redditch five minutes before the interval. This time Mr Smith allowed a good advantage when Chris Walton rode Deakin’s foul challenge, but when the ball went dead Deakin was cautioned.
Only a minute later Matty Clarke was lucky, and perhaps relieved, to see only yellow after a professional foul on Glass, who was unceremoniously pulled back as he ran onto Wilson’s incisive through ball. Perhaps the fact that it happened some yards outside the area counted in his favour, but he was the last defender and Glass would have been through one-on-one with Lewis.
In more legitimate action, Redditch might have taken a last gasp first half lead when Laurie Matthewson brilliantly parried Danny Edwards’ free kick at full stretch and then recovered to turn Deakin’s follow-up for a corner.
Five minutes into the restart Matthewson was quickly off his line to thwart Johnson as he ran clear.
Two minutes later the home fans were prematurely celebrating a goal. Steve Warne found Reet wide on the right, and his low cross was met by Clayton, whose shot rebounded off the underside of the bar. It fell to Glass who seemed certain to score, but as soon as he touched the ball the flag went up for offside.
Three minutes later at the other end Keith Rostill gave Matthewson an easier job than he should have had after good work by Edwards to set up the chance, and Rostill was given another opportunity from a corner, but Matthewson and Pacey combined to block his close range effort.
Brown got in the way of Johnson’s shot and Butler did enough to take the sting out of Lee Downes’ follow-up to make life comfortable for Matthewson.
As the unpleasantness took a hold again Wilson and Deakin, both on yellow cards, squared up to each other and received a lecture each before being allowed to continue.
But there was no such mercy for Forinton who received his marching orders 15 minutes from time, the referee indicating that an elbow had been used in a melee. Forinton left the field looking somewhat bemused by it all and protesting his innocence, but it cut no ice with Mr Smith, whose red card was immediate and without hesitation.
Again Wilson rode his luck five minutes later when he was penalised for a foot up challenge on Edwards which was arguably cautionable.
Alfreton had two late chances to break the deadlock. Firstly, with five minutes to go, substitute Daniel Gray picked out the unmarked Clayton with a great ball into the area, but the afternoon’s action was typified when the striker slipped at the vital moment and the chance was gone.
Then two minutes into stoppage time Reet tried a low shot on the turn from some 23 yards, but it flew just wide, and in the end perhaps the draw was a fair result – goalless certainly so as a reflection of the afternoon’s play.
ALFRETON: Matthewson, Wilson, Brown, Walton, Butler, Pacey, Glass (Gray 69), Warne, Cusworth (Reet 24), Clayton, Law. Subs not used: McDonald, Sutcliffe, Hall.
REDDITCH: Lewis, Clarke, Edwards, Daly, Geohaghon, Softley, Forinton, Downes, Rostill (Walker 85), Johnson, Deakin (Rickards 77).
REFEREE: Andy Smith of Castleford.
ATTENDANCE: 260.
CAUTIONS: Alfreton – Wilson 30 (off-ball incident with Johnson). Redditch – Johnson 30 (off-ball incident with Wilson); Deakin 40 (foul on Walton); Clarke 41 (‘professional’ foul on Glass).
SENT OFF: Redditch – Forinton 75 (violent conduct – use of elbow).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Tony Butler.