ALFRETON found UniBond South hosts Shepshed a rather tougher test than that provided by Gedling Town in their first pre-season outing of their build-up to the new campaign.
But the Reds still had enough in their armoury to win a little more comfortably than the scoreline suggests.
Debutant striker Andy White capitalised on a stroke of good fortune 10 minutes before the break to fire the visitors into a belated lead.
But that was cancelled out on the stroke of half time when James Lindley was penalised for handling outside his area and Jamie Barrett drilled a low free kick past the defensive wall and into the corner of the net.
Shepshed made more of a fist of the second half and put Alfreton under some pressure for a time, but by and large the defence rode it well, and Tommy Hannigan headed a 70^th minute winner.
Manager Nicky Law gave one or two players unfamiliar roles, with Mark Barnard sweeping and Terry Henshaw slotting into midfield. But the major surprise was the inclusion of White up front – the former Mansfield and Hucknall Town striker, who figured in last season’s FA Trophy final for Kidderminster and also went on loan to Stafford, has signed Conference forms but has not put pen to paper on a contract pending agreement of terms.
Meanwhile, omitted from the squad were Russell Headley and Matt Outram, both of whom had impressed at Gedling.
White showed his ball-holding qualities early on and laid off for Stuart Copnell to put over a threatening angled cross which Gary Hateley claimed just ahead of the lurking Matt Glass.
And the Reds looked to have had a good case for a penalty in the sixth minute when Glass, sent clear by Copnell’s astute pass, went down under Sam Carter’s challenge.As the Reds’ lively start continued, Glass’s pace down the left caused problems for the home side. Copnell met his deep cross but hit the outside of the post, and James Cullen saw his follow-up blocked.
Glass, partnering White up front, made himself a nuisance to the home defence as he attacked down both flanks, and Copnell’s distribution also caught the eye as Alfreton continued to call the tune.
Nathan Winder went close with a header from a corner, Terry Henshaw had the ball taken off his toe as he was about to pull the trigger, Chris Walton had a good shot saved after bursting through the middle, and when White hit the bar with a looping header, Copnell’s follow-up was reminiscent of planes taking off at the nearby airport.
But the deadlock was broken in the 35^th minute when a home defender’s attempted clearance struck a team mate and fell kindly for White who had the easiest of chances to lash into the net from inside the area.
Shepshed might have equalised five minutes later when Chirs Burton headed a long corner back across goal and Adie Adeluikan hooked his shot against the bar.
But re-charged Dynamo restored parity with the last play of the half. Lindley made a bit of a hash of a cross from the right and when he fell on the ball to retrieve the situation a linesman’s flag indicated that was the wrong side of the 18-yard line.
The defensive wall could have been organised better, Barrett found a gap, and Shepshed were level.
Shepshed, playing their first pre-season game, made a number of half time changes, but Alfreton restricted themselves to just two, sending on front men Daniel Douglas-Pringle and Brian Cusworth for Glass and Copnell, while all the other named substitutes made their appearance during the second period.
Although Shepshed maintained the greater purpose that they had found at the end of the first half, it was still Alfreton who forged the better chances with Cusworth having a header off target following a flowing move, and Pringle seeing an effort saved.
Henshaw had to be at his best to nullify a Shpshed threat from a cross following a raid down the right.
Cusworth again sent a strong header wide from Barnard’s long free kick, and when Dynamo hit back they had two strong shots charged down in rapid succession.
But Alfreton regained the lead in the 70^th minute. A home defender accidentally collided with a team mate allowing David Cockerill to cross, Cusworth to head on, and Hannigan to head home at the far post.
The defender had suffered a head injury, but the aftermath was instantaneous and the goal had been scored before anyone really realised.
From then on Alfreton held their lead comfortably, and might have had a third when the home keeper saved well from Pringle, and Cusworrth headed the resulting corner wide five minutes from time.

ALFRETON: Lindley, Cullen (Cockerill 59), Barnard, McFadzean, Winder (Brown 69), Walton (Wilson 69), Glass (Pringle ht), Henshaw, White (Hannigan 59), Copnell (Cusworth ht), Bowler (Flanagan 85).