2007/2008 Season. Game no. 46. Blue Square Conference North
Saturday, March 22, 2008
ALFRETON TOWN 0, Solihull Moors 0

Report by Gordon Foster (Mansfield CHAD). Pics by Phil Lucic (first half) and Bill Wheatcroft (second section)

ALFRETON and Solihull shared the points in a rather scrappy goalless draw, but perhaps the Moors may have been more pleased with the point that kept a respectable margin between themselves and the drop zone.
All Alfreton have left to play for is to finish higher than 14th, their best final placing in the Conference North so far, but on this display they will have their work cut out to achieve that.
The tempo did pick up a little after the interval following a dire first 45 minutes, but chances were scarce at both ends and what opportunities did arise were scorned, with Danny Reet missing two golden openings for the Reds and Daniel Davidson following suit for the Moors.
But although Alfreton had the better of the possession for most of the match, it was the visitors who finished the stronger, with Darren Middleton’s 20-yard lob hitting the bar six minutes from time, and Davidson failing to profit from the rebound – his third chance.
Reds boss Nicky Law sent out the same starting 11 as that which began at Buxton in the previous Tuesday’s Derbyshire Senior Cup final, and included new boys Jason St. Juste and Daniel Gray on the bench.
Laurie Wilson chopped Kris Bowler’s centre over the bar inside the first two minutes as Alfreton made a promising start, and then when Reet was quick to latch onto Theo Streete’s under-hit back pass, Moors keeper Daniel Crane was out to the edge of the box smartly to claim the ball.
But the action overall was off colour, and that was typified in the 14th minute by Solihull skipper Lee Collins’ poor clearance which Reet picked up, then found a way around the back of Richard Follett. His angled drive rebounded off Phil Midworth for a corner, and Mark Barnard’s flag kick from the right went out for a throw on the opposite side.
With Laurence Matthewson out of his goal Tim Gould volleyed over the bar in the 17th minute, and when Matthewson punched a corner seven minutes later it fell to Andy Ducros whose low 20-yard drive was wide.
Reet, despite his hard-working display, wasted the first of two gilt-edged openings he had for the Reds in the 25th minute, lifting Bowler’s low cross over the bar from eight yards.
Ducros shot straight at Matthewson after beating the offside for the visitors, and when Davidson and Carl Motteram worked a good interchange Barnard leaped high to head away the cross before it reached the lurking Junior English at the far post.
But on the stroke of half time the home fans waited to acclaim the opening goal. Brian Cusworth headed on Barnard’s long pinpoint free kick, but as Reet tried too hard to turn it home he was penalised for a foul on the keeper.
The second half provided rather more of a spectacle, and inside the first four minutes Crane had to push Barnard’s difficult curling free kick around his post.
Reet finally had the ball in the net in the 51st minute. He and Cusworth together had beaten the offside together onto Kyle McFadzean’s forward punt, but when Cusworth helped it on to his strike partner, who netted from an angle, the unlucky Reet had this time strayed offside.
Four minutes later came the on-loan Mansfield man’s second major miss. Cusworth laid off Barnard’s accurate angled cross into the area, and Reet, with the goal at his mercy, allowed Crane a much more comfortable save than he should have had.
Only a minute later it was Davidson’s turn to curse his luck at the other end. McFadzean, trying to clear a cross, could only slice it to the giant forward who towered even over Reds skipper Tony Butler, but Matthewson did remarkably well to get across and turn the close range header for a corner. In truth though he should not have had a chance.
The leaping Cusworth was a whisker away from meeting Barnard’s free kick in front of goal, but Davidson spurned another glorious chance in the 74th minute, blazing well wide after substitute Simon Hollis had done the spadework.
As Solihull looked the more likely to snatch a late winner Matt Wilson made a crucial interception when Darren Middleton looked to set up Davidson.
Then a minute later Middleton’s deft 20-yard dink hit the bar and rebounded to Davidson whose close range follow-up was straight at Matthewson.
The final moments were played in the snowstorm which had mercifully held off throughout the afternoon and, after the Reds had made a triple substitution, Reet set up a good chance for Josh Law, who shot disappointingly wide as the game entered overtime.
ALFRETON TOWN: Matthewson, McFadzean, Barnard, Walton, Butler, M. Wilson, L. Wilson (Law 85), Bowler (St-Juste 85), Cusworth (Glass 85), Reet, Warne. Subs not used: Gray, Clayton.
SOLIHULL MOORS: Crane, Midworth, Follett, Collins, Streete, Gould, Ducros (Middleton 62), Motteram (Hollis 62), Davidson, Anderson, English. Subs not used: Faulds, Ayres, Lynn.
REFEREE: Scott Ledger of Barnsley.
ATTENDANCE: 335.
CAUTION: Solihull – Gould 36 (late challenge on L. Wilson).
REDS MAN OF THE MATCH: Mark Barnard.

New boys, left to right: Dan Gray, Jordan Hall and Jason St Juste