2006/2007 Season. Match no.33 - Conference North
Tuesday, February 13th, 2007
ALFRETON TOWN 3, Worksop Town 0

Report by Kev Miles

ALFRETON Town provided manager Marcus Ebdon with his first victory in three games since taking over as Reds boss with a comprehensive local derby success on Tuesday evening.
The game, a re-run of the first league match between the sides which was abandoned on 52 minutes on December 30, was again played out in squally, rainy conditions.
And ironically, the second goal of the night, from Mark Rawle, came on 52 minutes!
This was also the first clean sheet kept by the side under Ebdon’s rein and deservedly so as the defence put in a strong defensive performance, being rarely troubled throughout.
The win took the Reds up to 13th in the table, just four points off the play off spots.
Manager Ebdon kept the same side which had gained a point at Barrow last Saturday and the visitors were indebted to keeper Martin Taylor as early as the second minute when he blocked Tristram Whitman’s effort at the near post at the second attempt.
Alfreton had a let off a minute later when the lively Steve Owens got free down the left but Steve Robinson’s 12-yard volley flew well wide.
Ebdon tried to cajole his side forward at every opportunity and he produced a 30-yarder which unfortunately was too close to Taylor in the visiting goal.
Taylor was then lucky to see his clearance rebound off Mark Rawle who had pursued a back pass from Jackson. The ball could have gone anywhere but went out.
There was little to choose between the sides early on and Worksop striker Ben Saunders had a shot charged down. The rebound fell to Owens who was denied by Tommy Hannigan who threw himself in front of the shot to provide the game’s first corner on 21 minutes.
Whitman was a constant thorn down the right throughout and he is at last showing the form which he is undoubtedly capable of. He shaded the man of the match verdict from a powerhouse show by Mark Rawle and a non stop display by Ash Burbeary.
And after Whitman got round the back of the defence and produced a cross which went begging, the Reds - who had begun to press more - went in front on 31 minutes.
Ebdon returned a half cleared attack back into the penalty area and Worksop’s TONY CRANE, under pressure from Rawle, only succeeded in sending a back header looping over his diving keeper and inside the right hand post for an own goal.
The lead should have been doubled five minutes later when Andy Tiday’s trickery got him past right back Steve Nicholson but from the cross Ash Burbeary swept his shot wide when it looked easier to score.
Ebdon then had a 25-yard blast blocked by Jackson as the Reds closed the first half strongly.
As Alfreton began the second half in attacking mode Tiday spurned a golden chance to again double the lead when he steered a shot over the bar from eight yards with just a covering defender in front of him after another lovely Whitman run and cross.
The second goal finally came on 52 minutes when MARK RAWLE picked up Whitman’s stab through and his sheer strength took him through two challenges before holding off a third defender and steering a left footed shot past Turner into the bottom right corner from 16 yards.
The joy on the face of a man in very good form was plain to see as he celebrated in style.
Worksop finally stirred into life and Owens clipped a left footed shot wide from 12 yards after a knock down by Crane.
Robinson picked up the game’s first booking after a late challenge on Ryan Clarke on 57 minutes but the visitors struggled to break through a strong home defence in which the pairing of Nathan Winder and Tommy Hannigan was again a feature.
At the other end the ball just wouldn’t sit up right for Rawle in the Worksop penalty area and another chance went.
Worksop simply couldn't find the final pass in and around the home penalty area and it was a rare occasion when Owens saw his shot beaten out by Alfreton’s Dale Roberts at the near post before Burbeary blocked the follow up for the visitors’ first corner of the game on 65 minutes.
A lovely move by Alfreton involving Tiday and Whitman, ended with Burbeary curling a shot just wide after a one-two with Rawle.
Changes were made by both sides before Worksop’s Anthony Jackson was booked for a very late challenge on Ebdon which required treatment.
Ebdon recovered sufficiently to clear an inswinging Robinson corner off the line at the back post on 77 minutes before the Reds wrapped up victory two minutes later.
Ebdon produced an incisive pass down the right to set ASHLEY BURBEARY free. He cut inside and beat keeper Taylor with a shot into the far bottom corner for 3-0 and game, set and match.
Job done, Ebdon made way for Matt Glass and shortly after Whitman sent a 25-yarder straight at Taylor who followed up with a vital kick clear to deny Rawle a goalscoring chance deep into the penalty area.
In the end this was an assured win with Worksop’s central defensive deficiencies - they had two regulars out - taken full advantage of.
The visitors, a poor side on this showing, could have no excuses as they hardly created anything worthwhile and struggled to contain a good all round display from the Reds.

ALFRETON TOWN: Roberts, Clarke, Barnard, Hannigan, Winder, Nwadike, Burbeary, Ebdon (Glass 81), Whitman, Rawle, Tiday (Brown 67). Subs not used: Reeves, Flanagan, Sleath.
WORKSOP TOWN: Taylor, Nicholson, Davies, Staton, Owens, Jackson, Thompson, Robinson, Saunders, Crane, Froggatt. Subs not used: Leeson, Alder-Heaver, Ratcliffe.
REFEREE: Dean Mohareb (Stockport).
ATTENDANCE: 268.
SCORERS: Alfreton – Tony Crane (own goal 31), Mark Rawle (52), Ashley Burbeary (79).
CAUTIONS: Worksop Town - Steve Robinson, foul on Ryan Clarke (57), Anthony Jackson (foul on Marcus Ebdon, 73).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Tristram Whitman.