2004/05 - Match No. 37
Nationwide North
Saturday, January 22nd, 2005
Runcorn FC Halton 1, Alfreton Town 0
Report by Gordon Foster (Mansfield CHAD)
ALFRETON manager Dave Lloyd admitted to being concerned by his side's form since the turn of the year.
Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Runcorn left the Reds without either a point or a league goal in 2005.
"Of course I'm worried," he said after the latest defeat at the Halton Stadium.
"We were very poor today, and I have to see the chairman about bringing in some new faces if all the good work of the first half of the season is not to be undone in the second.
"The squad is not big enough. This was our 44th game of the season, and it's obvious some players need a rest.
"There are no excuses. We've lost again and we have to do something about it."
Runcorn dominated the first half in front of just 173 in the 11,000-capacity almost-all-seater stadium, but somehow Alfreton survived.
The Reds picked up after the break, but were beaten by a 59th-minute goal from Ged Courtney and rarely looked like pulling it back.
Runcorn put their existence-threatening off-field problems to one side to make the early running, and Mike Garrity and Matty McGinn both saw efforts go off target.
The Linnets lost John Robertson to injury after only 12 minutes, and it was not until two minutes after that that Alfreton got out of their own half to any effect.
Then Mitch Ward's cross was punched clear off the head of Peter Duffield, and a follow-up cross was cleared for a corner, from which Duffield looked to have been pushed in the penalty area, but the referee was unimpressed.
Escaping criticism were central defenders Grant Brown and Mark Blount, and in between sterling defensive duties both went close at the other end with efforts following corners.
However, there was relief for the Reds when Garrity pounced on a slip by Ian Robinson but was forced wide, and the defence dealt with the cross.
Hopes were raised when Blount's through ball saw Duffield's well-timed run beat the offside, but keeper Tony McMillan was down well to save.
Alfreton almost made a perfect start to the second half when Duffield caught McMillan dallying on the ball, but the keeper managed to recover and dribble it to safety.
Twice Tom Spearitt conceded corners to deny Emeka Nwadike and Duffield, who then forced McMillan into a diving save.
The keeper then spilled a Matt Fisher effort but recovered to save Duffield's follow-up.
Runcorn rode out what was Alfreton's best spell of the match to take a 59th-minute lead.
The lively McGinn picked out Courtney with an incisive through ball, and this time the striker made no mistake in a one-on-one with Butler.
A minute later there were loud penalty appeals for hands against Brown, but the referee appeared to rule ball to hand from Nicky Young's cross-shot.
Blount was close to an equaliser with a header from a corner, which McMillan managed to turn over his bar.
Alfreton sent on Mark Sale for Ben Chapman to play a more adventurous 3-4-3, but Brown got in smartly to deny McGinn.
As time ran out Mick Godber could only hit the side netting, and Ward's 25-yard free kick just cleared the bar.
RUNCORN: McMillan, Spearitt, Ness, Moore, Robertson (Nolan 12), Turner, Garrity, Parle, Young (Durkan 79), Courtney (Rendell 84), McGinn. Subs not used: Field, Carragher.
ALFRETON: Butler, Robinson, Blount, Chapman (Sale 75), Brown, Ward, Mallon, Fisher (Teather 82), Godber, Duffield, Nwadike (Holmes 55). Subs not used: Cooper, Saxby.
REFEREE: Alan Rawcliffe of Bolton.
ATTENDANCE: 173.
SCORER: Runcorn - Courtney 59.
CAUTIONS: Runcorn - Garrity 40 (dissent); Young 40 (dissent); Ness 71 (foul on Mallon). Alfreton - Nwadike 44(foul on Turner); Fisher 72 (foul on Turner).
REDS MAN OF THE MATCH: Grant Brown