Alfreton Town Football Club

Match reports
2004/05

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2004/05 - Match No. 15
Nationwide North
Friday, October 8th, 2004
Worcester City 0, Alfreton Town 0
ALFRETON had to settle for a point at St George's Lane despite another good performance last Friday night.
It was one of those matches when the ball just would not go into the net despite all the Reds' best efforts - even after City had been forced to change goalkeepers just before half time.
With regular keeper Danny McDonnell injured, Worcester had brought in former Northern Ireland U21 custodian Aaron Kerr, having flown him in from across the Irish Sea.
But Kerr had to be helped off after an accidental clash with Mick Godber just before the break. And although young reserve Lewis Skyers looked distinctly nervous, aided by a bit of good fortune he managed to preserve a clean sheet and earn the home side a point after four straight defeats.
Worcester appeared content to settle for the point with half an hour to go, as Alfreton stretched their clean sheet to 320 minutes. But the home side were almost punished 16 minutes from time when Mick Godber rattled the home bar.
Worcester applied the early pressure, and Nick Colley ruined a good early move by pulling his cross behind the goal when he had colleagues in support.
And former Ilkeston striker Leon Kelly's cross from the by-line found no-one in a position to capitalise.
Alfreton began to take control with Mitch Ward dictating the play in midfield. And, following a neat interchange between Emeka Nwadike and Ben Chapman, Mark Blount crossed deep for Chris Bettney, who outpaced three defenders before looking to set up Godber.
But the striker was unable to find either power or direction on his finish.
Kerr showed his pedigree in the 26th minute, pushing Bettney's rasping drive around the post from Peter Duffield's tee up.
Three minutes later at the other end Adam Webster got into a good position, but his full-blooded drive was somewhat nonchalantly pushed up into the air by Lee Butler who then caught it as it dropped.
As the half entered stoppage time, Shabir Khan under-hit a back pass intended for Kerr, Godber nipped smartly in to try to force the ball over the line, and Kerr was injured in his desperate and successful attempt to prevent it from crossing the line.
The keeper was unable to continue, and Skyers took over the jersey.
The young reserve showed his nerves in the 53rd minute when, following another interchange on the right between Bettney and Ian Robinson, Bettney unleashed a 20-yard effort. Skyers could only punch out to Ward who, from the edge of the box, dragged his follow-up shot wide.
A minute later Godber shot on the turn from Robinson's ball into the area but, under pressure from Khan and Pat Lyons, steered it wide.
Worcester's best chance of the half fell on 56 but Lyons lashed wide from 20 yards, and from then on they played a game on containment.
Fisher was the next to suffer from cruel luck a minute after that, with terrific drive from the edge of the area. Unfortunately Godber could not get out of the way in time, and the ball struck him and went for a goal kick.
Godber thought momentarily that he had scored on 74. The striker did everything right from Bettney's cross, putting his foot on the ball and picking his spot, but his shot deflected off a defender to smack against the bar. It dropped into the six yard box where Duffield, reacting first but with his back to goal, steered the rebound just wide.
Bettney went close with a curling shot just past the post from another typical Godber lay-off, and he and Robinson both went close in the last five minutes.
But the goal would not come, and Worcester achieved their objective of ending their disastrous run of defeats.
WORCESTER CITY: Kerr (Skyers 45), Khan, Hines, Hoyle, Heeley, Warner, Colley, McDonald (Owne 78), Webster, Kelly, Lyons. Subs not used; Smith, Woolley, Warmer.
ALFRETON TOWN: Butler, Robinson, Chapman, Blount, Brown, Ward, Bettney, Fisher, Godber (Holmes 88), Duffield (Hume 80), Nwadike (Bradshaw 76). Subs not used: Knapper, Dolby.
REFEREE: Philip Caswell of Leicester.
ATTENDANCE: 819.
CAUTION: Alfreton - Blount 60 (foul on Webster).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Mitch Ward.