Clarke on target as Reds land a first win
DANNY Clarke’s second-half goal was enough to bring Alfreton Town their first win of the Vanarama National North season and they are unbeaten in three games after drawing their first two.
Clarke struck in the 70th minute for a 1-0 win away to AFC Telford United.
The first half brought few clear-cut openings as the Reds tended to go long looking for Clarke and Elliott Reeves but tending to overhit the passes.
Dan Bradley had the first chance after 14 minutes when he collected a Bobby Johnson pass before striding forward and firing low and wide from 25 yards.
The Bucks responded with James Hardy running into space before firing over the bar but Johnson was inches away from a 17th-minute opener with a shot which came back off the post, Clarke, hitting the rebound over.
Reeves shot wide when well placed from a Reds corner which had been half-cleared.
Reds keeper George Willis held a low free kick following a foul by James Jones and the Reds centreback was relieved after 37 minutes when he directed a cross towards his own goal but the ball hit the post.
Reeves’ shot from the edge of the box was tipped over within seconds by home keeper Russell Griffiths and it was the last real chance of the first half.
Telford started the second half strongly, Willis saving a long distance shot from Aaron Williams, but a feature of the game was a resilient defensive effort from Alfreton.
Connor Branson and Jones each blocked shots as Telford continued to press but, at the other end, the Reds momentarily thought they had a penalty when Dom Smith, rising to meet a cross, was brought down by Griffiths. However, the linesman was alrerady flagging for offside.
Telford still had more of the pressure but, finally, it was the Reds who broke the deadlock.
Bradley played Reeves through and his cross-shot came to Clarke, who planted the ball home.
DOUBLES from Paddy Webb and Stuart Beavon saw Mickleover to a comfortable FA Trophy third qualifying round 5-0 win at home to Dereham Town.
Webb set Sports on their way in the third minute wth a low shot but they had to wait until the 57th minute before he doubled the lead, racing on to a lofted through ball to poke the ball home.
Two emphatic close-range finishes from Beavon, after 60 and 77 minutes, ensured it would be Mickleover going through and Josh Satchwell scored his first for the club in the last minute.
BELPER Town were pegged back three times as Spalding United left Christchurch Meadow with a 3-3 draw in the Pitching In NPL South East Division.
The Nailers took a fourth-minute lead when Piteu Crouz, who had already gone close with an overhead kick, went on a mazy run before hitting an accurate finish.
Spalding battled back strongly and equalised in the 25th minute through Lewis Brownhill.
Belper went back ahead three minutes before half-time with a Steve McDonnell header from Craig Nelthorpe’s cross but they could not stay ahead until the break, Spencer Weir-Daley equalising with a tap-in two minutes later.
Tom Wilson hit the bar with a header before half-time for the Nailers who again went ahead after 49 minutes, the much-travelled Chib Chilaka netting a loose ball after a long throw from McDonnell.
Ten minutes later, former Newcastle United striker Nile Ranger headed in from a corner to level the score again and there were no further goals.