2009/2010 Season. Match no. 5. Blue Square Conference North match no. 5.
Saturday, August 22nd, 2009

ALFRETON TOWN 1, Southport 1

Match pics courtesy of Dave Purseglove here

ALFRETON Town threw everything at visitors Southport on Saturday in a sustained series of attacks, but were pegged back by a stoppage time leveller that has left the Reds without a win in their last three Blue Square North outings.
Paul Clayton was recalled to the starting line-up and produced a spectacular goal in first-half added time, while Aden Flint and Jordan Hall both impressed on their first starts of the season.
Southport were the first team to produce a shot at goal, despite Alfreton notching up seven corners in the opening 25 minutes, home keeper Craig Dootson having to turn behind an angled drive from Chris Simm in the 15th minute.
Then three minutes later Southport custodian Tony McMillan had to be alert as he punched clear Kyle McFadzean's deep cross as Clayton homed in, then with 24 minutes elapsed a cross from Dominic Roma led to Anton Brown's header just missing Anthony Howell at the far post.
An overhead kick from Clayton just missed the target on 27 minutes, then a period of inactivity ended abruptly in the 40th minute when Ian Ross picked out Flint from a free-kick and the Reds' central defender thumped a header against the crossbar.
Two minutes later, Liam Hearn latched on to a Dootson free-kick before cutting in and firing beyond the back post, then within seconds another deep cross from McFadzean saw Brown emerge from a jumping contest with McMillan only to generate little power on his header, enabling visiting skipper Rob Marsh-Evans to clear off the line.
Clayton gave Alfreton a deserved lead as the game played out its solitary minute of first half added time, meeting Hall's angled, driven cross with a well-timed flying header from the angle of the six yard area which sped back across McMillan and inside the far post.
Two minutes after the restart a byline run and cross by Brown was slightly behind Howell, who could only get his feet tangled up as he tried to retrieve it, then moments later at the other end Steve Daly shot across goal after encroaching from the left.
With 50 minutes on the clock a curler from Ciaran Kilheeney had to be guided away by Dootson, but it was McMillan next in action two minutes after that when he pounced on Howell's effort as Hall's cross was diverted into his path by Southport defender Earl Davis.
Clayton just failed to connect with a repeat flying header from another well-taken Ross free kick in the 56th minute, then a penetrating run by Hearn three minutes later ended with his close-range shot being blocked by the keeper.
On the hour mark Howell's shot was blocked after substitute Mattie Burke had played Hearn down the left flank, then in response on 64 minutes Michael Powell's free header was directed straight at Dootson from a left-wing corner.
McMillan had to tip over another excellent Ross free-kick with 15 minutes left, but with three minutes gone of the four indicated for added time, up popped Simm unmarked to rifle the ball past Dootson from ten yards from a right-wing cross.