2004/05 - Match No. 23
Carthium Cup, 1st Round
Tuesday, November 16th, 2004
Alfreton Town 0, Worksop Town 1
Report by Gordon Foster (Mansfield CHAD) and Pics by Phil Lucic.

ALFRETON exited the Conference Cup at the first hurdle against local arch-rivals Worksop on Tuesday night - but who really cared?
After all, the Reds currently have bigger fish to fry, so few tears were shed at the final whistle as the Tigers recorded their first victory over Alfreton since 1996, and gained a modicum of revenge for the FA Cup fourth qualifying round defeat.
Both sides made numerous changes from their regular starting line-ups to give squad players a chance, and Alfreton included triallist Jamie Jamal Ghaichem and youngster Stephen Woolley.
Manager Dave Lloyd also made some experimental positional switches, pulling Emeka Nwadike into central defence to partner Mark Blount, and starting David Holmes up front alongside Mick Goddard.
The tie was settled in the 35th minute when former Mansfield striker Craig Mitchell headed the Tigers into the lead.
It stemmed from a free kick just outside the left of the area conceded by Nwadike. Mark Wilson took it quickly, slipping the ball forward to Blake Norton and, while Alfreton were still organising, Mitchell was gifted a free header from the cross.
It was perhaps only to be expected that, for the Reds, it was a case of ‘After the Lord Mayor’s Show’ following Saturday’s cup cracker with Macclesfield.
They have a massive league game to come on Saturday at Altrincham, followed by Tuesday’s FA Cup replay, and the fans who had witnessed Saturday’s tie voted on the relevance of this competition with their feet, the attendance of 251 being exactly 2,000 less than four days earlier.
That may have got through to the players, for Worksop always seemed the hungrier of the two sides - which was to be expected given that they have less else to play for, being already out of the Cup and Trophy.
Nevertheless, it was a chance for those players drafted in to stake a claim, and Goddard in particular provided a few sparks with some fast and determined running, while Ian Robinson turned in a man of the match performance at right back, not putting a foot wrong.
Goddard glanced an early header wide from Robinson’s cross following a well-worked interchange with Ghaichem.
But Lee Butler reproduced Saturday’s form with a point blank save to keep out Mitchell’s header from a corner.
Ghaichem was withdrawn in favour of Chris Bettney five miunutes before the break, and Ben Chapman, apparently carrying a wrist injury, made way for Grant Brown for the second half, Blount switching to left back.
Holmes fired wide from just inside the area after Goddard had flicked on Butler’s long clearance, and Ian Bowling brilliantly tipped Goddard’s header onto the top of the bar and behind, referee Dave Naylor amazingly awarding a goal kick.
In fact Mr Naylor produced his yellow card six times - three for each side - which painted a false picture of the nature of the game.
Worksop continued to show purpose without creating over-much, although Robinson had to clear the danger when Butler uncharacteristically spilled a Steve Nicholson cross.
But the better chances still fell to Alfreton, with Bowling having to save the best one with his legs when Goddard beat the offside onto Matt Fisher’s through ball.

MATCH DETAILS
ALFRETON: Butler, Robinson, Blount, Chapman (Brown h/t), Holmes, Ward, Ghaichem (Bettney 40), Fisher, Goddard, Nwadike, Woolley. Subs not used: Duffield, Pierce, Bradshaw.
WORKSOP: Bowling, Nicholson, Davis, Jackson, O’Callaghan, Browne, Wilson, Dempsey, Bambrook, C. Mitchell, Norton. Subs not used: Bracey, Townsend, Payne, J. Mitchell, Rogers.
REFEREE: David Naylor of Sutton-in-Ashfield.
ATTENDANCE: 251.
SCORER: Worksop - C. Mitchell 35.
CAUTIONS: Alfreton - Fisher 19 (foul on Bambrook); Nwadike 53 (foul on Wilson); Goddard 84 (dissent). Worksop - Dempsey 45 (foul on Fisher); Bambrook 51 (dissent); Norton 64 (dissent).
REDS MAN OF THE MATCH: Ian Robinson.