2009/2010 Season. Match no. 39. Blue Square North fixture no. 32.
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Alfreton Town 5, Droylsden 0

Match pics album by Dave Pursglove here

A PHENOMENAL display of passionate football by Alfreton Town laid to rest the Droylsden bogey on Tuesday night, which had seen the Bloods win on their previous four visits to the Impact Arena.
 Liam Hearn claimed his third hat-trick for the club since joining from Quorn FC last season and had a hand in the other two goals for good measure, as the Reds swept aside the challenge of their Blue Square North play-off rivals.
Droylsden played their part by pushing forward whenever they could in the first half, but seemed demoralised and disjointed after the break.
Attacking from the first whistle Alfreton went close when Hearn fired an angled drive just beyond the back post in the fourth minute, Paul Clayton having set him up for the chance from Aden Flint’s through-ball.
Darren Mansaram had a clear opportunity for Droylsden in the ninth minute but hooked over from ten yards, and four minutes later his miss was punished when the Reds took the lead through Clayton.
Flint played Hearn through and only the legs of keeper Paul Phillips prevented a goal at that point, but the ball rebounded to Chris Shaw who fed Chris Hall on the left, then as Clayton received his pass he suddenly stepped on the gas and smashed the ball low and hard into the far corner of the net from a tight angle.
There was an awkward moment for the hosts in the 26th minute when Flint needed two touches to clear Tony Gray’s firm drive from ten yards off the line, then in response Shaw went close after taking a return pass from Hearn on the left.
The Reds doubled their advantage on 29 minutes after Josh Law had sent Hearn to the by-line, where he brushed off the challenge of substitute Steve Halford who had only been on the field for a few seconds.
Hearn though seemed to overstretch his run, but Jake Moult was in support and managed to steer the ball over the line after the keeper had failed to gain a firm contact on it.
Droylsden had reasonable claims for a penalty ignored in the 36th minute when Kyle McFadzean appeared to clip Shaun Whalley’s heels as he latched on to Mansaram’s pass, but two minutes later it was 3-0 when Clayton chipped the ball through and defender Lee Roche attempted a back header to Phillips.
Hearn chased it and arrived fractionally before the keeper, and after going around Phillips squeezed the ball home from a rapidly diminishing angle.
Sixty seconds later and Clayton almost grabbed a fourth goal as Shaw played him through behind the last defender, but the Reds’ striker fired just past the far post.
 Paddy Gamble earned his corn with two vital saves as the game entered first half stoppage time, first of all pushing Alex Brown’s powerful shot against the upright, then diverting behind a good effort from Whalley.
Shaw’s 49th minute free-kick led to Phillips clutching Clayton’s volley, but Hearn struck again seven minutes later when Ian Ross played him through and drilled a low drive home from the right-side edge of the area.
The scoring was completed by the 58th minute when Clayton’s inspirational back-heel on the edge of the penalty area sent Hearn away to clinch his treble with a nifty side-step before picking his spot from eight yards.
 Hearn really should have recorded a personal haul of four when he missed the easiest chance of the night when teed up by Moult in the 64th minute, then Clayton went close again eight minutes later from 18 yards.