Alfreton Town Football Club
Match reports
2004/05

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Pre-season match no. 1
Saturday, July 17th, 2004
Staveley MW 2, Alfreton Town 8
Report by Gordon Foster (Mansfield CHAD)
ALFRETON hit the goals trail as they got their pre-season programme off to a winning start at Inkersall Road on Saturday – but manager Dave Lloyd commented afterwards that they would have to play much better against Hull on Wednesday night.
Lloyd rang the changes, using 20 players and effectively sending different sides out for each half, with both halves ending 4-1 in the Reds’ favour.
The first half belonged to Mitch Ward and Peter Duffield (pictured above scoring his first), both of whom were expected to sign this week.
Former Premiership star Ward, who is joining from York City, got the goals blitz under way in the sixth minute.
And although Shaun Hayes equalised for former South Normanton boss Rob Atkin’s new side, the much-travelled Duffield, signing from Carlisle United, showed his class with an 11-minute hat-trick.
As Lloyd rang the changes in the second half, Mark Sale notched a double, with goals by Mick Goddard and David Holmes slotted in between, before former Shiners favourite Hayes notched a late second consolation for the host side.
It should be remembered that Staveley will play their football four steps below the Reds on the non-league ladder, so while well pleased by the goals, Lloyd was not getting carried away.
“In truth we were a bit rusty,” he admitted, “but it was a much-needed work-out for us before we take on Hull.
“It was good to get eight goals under our belt, but we were a bit sloppy at the back when Staveley were allowed to get their two, and of course we’ve some far bigger challenges to come.
“We took a lot of players off in the second half to give everyone a run out and knock the cobwebs off.”
In particular, Lloyd was pleased by the contributions of three potential newcomers.
“To all intents and purposes Duffield has signed, and Ward will sign this week,” he confirmed.
“Andy Kiwomya, who came to do some fitness work with us pre-season, unfortunately took a knock early on, but he’ll be OK.
Ward made his mark on the game after six minutes when he put away a Chris Dolby cross, but after Andrew Jeffery had produced a fine fingertip save to deny Dolby in the 16th minute, Hayes found Staveley’s equaliser, pouncing on the rebound after Darren Bland’s initial effort was parried by Gavin Saxby six minutes later.
Parity lasted for just three minutes before Duffield notched the first of his quickfire treble, a 25-yarder into the far corner after Carl Bradshaw had done the spadework.
Duffield applied the finishing touch on 33 after Ward had teed the ball up for him during a goalmouth melee, and the former Sheffield United man was on hand to head home two minutes later, after Mark Blount’s header had come back off the bar.
Lloyd sent out five substitutes at the start of the second half, and replaced the rest as the half went on, with only Saxby doing the full 90 minutes.
Sale replaced Duffield in the 53rd minute, and within seconds had made it 5-1, sidefooting home Mick Goddard’s pull-back from the by-line to score with his first touch.
Goddard himself made it six on 65, firing under the keeper from the six-yard line from John Knapper’s set-up, then three minutes later Holes cut in from the left to curl in a sweet solo effort.
Kiwomya picked out Sale, who was able to choose his spot and make it 8-1 on 73, before Hayes capitalised on the Reds’ defence’s failure to clear their lines 12 minutes from time.
STAVELEY: Jeffery, McCormick, Garrard, Morris, Nedham, Harrison, Brameld, Hayes, Bland, Horrull, Baum. Subs: Capuano, Rogers, Spence, March.
ALFRETON: Saxby, Bradshaw (Robinson h/t), Blount (Kiwomya 62), Hume (Fisher 73), Brown (Baker 65), Nwadike (Knapper h/t), Ward (Woolley 73), Fisher (Bettney h/t), Godber (Goddard h/t), Duffield (Sale 53), Dolby (Homes h/t).
REFEREE: Paul Thompson of Chesterfield.
ATTENDANCE: 150.