2004/05 - Match No. 30
Nationwide North
Saturday, December 11th, 2004
Worksop Town 3, Alfreton Town 2
Report by Will Spence (Mansfield CHAD group). Pics by Phil Lucic.

ALFRETON came within inches of completing a remarkable comeback in a tense finish at Worksop on Saturday.
The Reds were three goals down before the hour was up courtesy of a Blake Norton brace and Steve Nicholson strike.
But following the introduction of Mark Sale, Alfreton hit back with a Peter Duffield penalty and a 90th minute long range effort from the substitute, before new signing Richard Cooper hit the bar deep into injury-time.
This was the fifth and final time the two sides would meet and with two draws and a win apiece already under their belts, both Worksop and Alfreton were playing not only for valuable points at the top of the Conference North but bragging rights over derby rivals.
And it was Worksop who eventually edged out their visitors in thrilling encounter.
Both teams were visibly up for the game and Duffield tested Worksop keeper Kris Rogers in the first minute before Norton went on the first of many pacy attacks, but his cross came to nothing.
Then in the 10th minute Mick Godber beat the offside trap as well as covering defenders James Dudgeon and Antony Jackson to the ball but could only head wide as Rogers was caught in no-mans land.
But it was at the other end that the opening goal came when Worksop broke with pace in the 15th minute.
Dudgeon fed Chris Cleary on the right and, when his effort was initially cleared by Grant Brown, Nicholson followed up and hit the target from outside the area.
At first it was thought that Carl Bradshaw had prevented the ball crossing the line but referee’s assistant Mr M. Hardman disagreed and allowed the goal to stand.
Still reeling from this Alfreton were caught out from a quick free-kick four minutes later which gave Brian O’Callaghan the opportunity to provide an early cross for Norton who made a neat first-time finish from just inside the area for 2-0.
However the visitors rallied and Chris Bettney saw his shot from distance clawed away by Rogers in the 28th minute before Godber slipped in Duffield and the Worksop keeper got the slightest of touches to assist the ball over the bar and again deny Alfreton.
But the Reds could make no impact before the break and Worksop added to their frustration early in the second half.
The in-form Gary Townsend showed great skill to round Ben Chapman before running at the Alfreton defence and bending his shot around Lee Butler only to hit the upright.
But Norton was on the spot again and he was first to react to the rebound, slotting home his second of the game.
The introduction of Sale, on for Bradshaw as David Lloyd put three in attack, began to tip the balance and it did not take long for the substitute to make an impact.
In the 76th minute he attempted to go past Jackson in the area but the Worksop defender pulled on Sale’s shirt and the penalty was awarded, Duffield making no mistake from the spot.
This goal lifted Alfreton, but Worksop substitute Craig Mitchell, currently on-loan from Leigh RMI, spurned the chance to make the game safe for the Tigers when he robbed Mark Blount and made a bee-line for goal only to hit his shot against the underside of the crossbar.
But the visitors continued to press as Duffield and substitute Mick Goddard had chances before Sale gave Alfreton hope with his shot in the 90th minute that somehow made its way through a crowded penalty area and found the far corner of the goal.
With only injury-time remaining the period was intensified when referee Mr S. Cooke pulled up and could not continue. And following a lengthy delay, Mr J. Hermuze took over.
And in a nerve shattering ending Cooper could only hit the crossbar as Worksop claimed the points to draw level with their visitors in a fight for second place.
WORKSOP: Rogers, Nicholson, Davies, O'Callaghan, Jackson, Dudgeon, Wilson, Dempsey, Cleary (Browne 84), Townsend (Mitchell 77), Norton. subs not used: Thorpe, Bambrook, Bowling.
ALFRETON: Butler, Bradshaw (Sale 63), Blount, Chapman, Brown, Ward, Bettney, Nwadike (Cooper 80), Godber (Goddard 73), Duffield, Robinson. Subs not used; Holmes, Dolby.
REFEREE: Steve ('Charlie') Cooke of Mansfield Woodhouse.
ATTENDANCE: 765
SCORERS: Worksop - Nicholson 15; Norton 19, 58. Alfreton - Duffield 76 (pen); Sale 89.
CAUTIONS: Bradshaw 15 (dissent). Jackson 49 (foul on Robinson).
REDS' MAN OF THE MATCH: Chris Bettney.