Report by Frank Bridges

ALFRETON were left to ponder how they lost Tuesday night’s match at managerless Southport after going down by a single goal at Haig Avenue.
The Sandgrounders, who had dispensed with the services of Peter Davenport during the previous week, won it with a Michael Rae goal in the 74th minute.
But the goal came against the run of play, and in the end the Reds paid the price for not taking any of their earlier chances.
Alfreton made one change to Saturday’s line-up with Laurie Wilson returning in place of the injured Jordan Hall, but Dan Gray, who had replaced Hall on Saturday, did not travel and the Reds made the long midweek journey with just four substitutes.
Southport had the first attempt on goal when Rae stabbed wide from 25 yards in the third minute.
Two minutes later home keeper Steven Drench needed two attempts to catch Laurie Wilson’s cross as Cusworth homed in.
Southport immediately broke downfield, and Laurie Matthewson had to stretch to tip Tony Gray’s rasping drive around a post.
Paul Barratt came to Southport’s rescue in the 13th minute. Chris Walton sent Matt Glass thought the middle to beat the offside trap, but as Glass was about to pull the trigger Barratt appeared from nowhere to hack the ball away.
Then a minute later Drench had to dash out of his area to head Laurie Wilson’s long punt clear as Glass and Cusworth converged on him.
Glass then shot straight at the keeper from Cusworth’s lay-off, and Gray did likewise at the other end.
There was a momentary scare for the Reds on the half-hour. Gray looked offside as he was allowed too easy a passage into the area. His finish was weak, but Matthewson spilled it and Laurie Wilson had to clear.
When Paul Clayton tried to send Glass through again the ball struck Cusworth full on, and before he could control it was scambled away.
The Reds had a golden opportunity a minute later. Clayton robbed Kevi Lee just inside the Southport half and sprinted goalward. The striker did everything right but as he rounded Drench the keeper managed to get a hand on the ball for a superb save.
Mark Duffy went close from 25 yards for the Sandgrounders, and Glass dragged his 18-yard shot wide for the Reds.
But Drench needed another great save in the 39th minute to atone for his initial error of putting a poor clearance straight to Clayton who set up Cusworth. As Cusworth tried to round him the keeper again pulled off an excellent save.
Seven minutes into the restart Matthewson was well behind Liam Blakeman’s deflected 20-yarder.
Duffy’s lethal cross found Gray clear in front of goal but he could not connect with his header, and the impressive Tony Butler made a timely block as Lee waltzed through a crowded area.
Again Alfreton hit back and Drench kept them at bay, as Glass laid Clayton’s cross inside to Chris Walton, whose low rasping drive was palmed away at the foot of a post.
Glass stabbed a half-chance straight at the keeper from eight yards, and when Drench cleared, Rae’s turn and lob at the other end in the 72nd minute was just too high.
But Rae had better luck two minutes later when, teed up by substitute Neil Prince, he hit a cracking 20-yard angled drive past Matthewson and into the net.
Butler headed firmly behind from a corner following another dangerous Duffy cross.
But Southport nearly rubbed salt into Reds’ wounds six minutes from time. Rae tried to chip high over Matthewson and the ball was dropping short when the keeper dived back towards goal and almost helped it in. But Matthewson recovered his composure to grab the ball at the second attempt on the line.
SOUTHPORT: Drench, Lever, Barratt (Prince 61), Hocking, Lee, Holland, Duffy, Blakeman, Rae, Gray, Powell. Subs not used: Whiteside, James, Jack, Houghton.
ALFRETON: Matthewson, L. Wilson, Brown, M. Wilson, Butler, Walton, Glass (Reet 81), Warne, Cusworth, Clayton, Bowler. Subs not used: St Juste, McDonald, Sutcliffe.
REFEREE: Paul Kettlewell of Morecambe.
ATTENDANCE: 757.
GOAL: Southport - Rae 74.
REDS MAN OF THE MATCH: Tony Butler.