2009/2010 Season. Match no. 36. Blue Square North fixture no. 29.
Saturday, February 20th, 2010

Alfreton Town 6, Farsley Celtic 2

Match pics albums by Dave Purseglove here

A BRACE apiece from Liam Hearn and substitute Kris Bowler helped Alfreton Town to a six-goal haul for the first time in a league game since the UniBond First Division days of 2002/03 when Trafford FC where hammered 6-1 on their only visit.
Jake Moult opened the scoring and Andy Todd added a penalty, to maintain the Reds' 100 per cent record this season from seven spot kicks, as Farsley Celtic were swept aside at the Impact Arena on Saturday.
The victory extended Alfreton’s unbeaten run in the league to nine games and also lifted Nicky Law’s side into third place.
Some of the Reds’ moves were breathtaking, particularly the move which led to the opening goal in the tenth minute which began with Paul Clayton's pass inside to Moult.
The ball was then played back for Chris Shaw to find Todd, whose shot was blocked by Patrice Liburd before Moult steered the rebound in from the edge of the six-yard box.
Farsley though had already squandered a couple of good chances when Dave Syers sliced wide when put through by Liam Shepherd in the fourth minute, then seconds later Liburd headed on to the roof of the net from a Dominic Krief free-kick.
A goal looked on in the ninth minute when Paddy Gamble's hoof upfield ran through to Hearn, but as visiting keeper Josh Bell narrowed the angle, the shot flashed beyond the far post.
There was a further chance for Celtic in the 12th minute when Krief's corner was headed on by Simeon Bambrook only for Syers to slip at the far post, then back at the other end two minutes later Hearn skewed his shot well wide after Todd and Moult had combined on the left.
Bell handled well from Todd's 18 yarder after taking a return pass from Shaw in the 16th minute, then six minutes later Hearn's sharp by-line cross just eluded Anton Brown in front of goal.
Alfreton were still questioning a dubious decision when Clayton was penalised after being floored as Bell tried to atone for dropping the ball by chasing the recipient away from goal, but a penalty was duly awarded on 24 minutes when Moult was tripped by Dave Pickering as he latched on to a pass from Hearn.
After a delay of almost a minute, Pickering being booked for the foul, Todd calmly whacked the spot kick home to double Alfreton's advantage, and by the 39th minute the Reds were three goals to the good when a poor decision went in their favour.
Ian Ross was clearly hacked down in the centre circle by Krief, but as he writhed in agony, Farsley tried to push the ball forward only for Shaw to intercept. The full-back swiftly despatched Hearn on a trade-mark run that ended with the coollest of finishes from just inside the area moments after receiving treatment himself.
Moult should have added a fourth in first half added time but headed wide at the back post from Clayton's inviting cross, then eight minutes after the break, Aden Flint produced a vital tackle as Lee Ellington was played through.
Bell blocked Clayton's 58th minute shot after Ross had sent Hearn through, but in the same minute Hearn made the score 4-0 after running on to Brown's through-ball and finding the far corner of the net from 15 yards.
Josh Law did well to block Shepherd's shot for a 67th minute corner, but Krief's delivery picked out Bambrook at the back post for a simple header that cut the deficit temporarily.
Six minutes later Bowler's instinctive header trickled over the line for the fifth Reds' goal after Brown had thumped a 22 yarder against the underside of the crossbar, but back came Farsley again with Danny Barlow's deep cross entering the net via the foot of the post with ten minutes left.
The scoring was completed in the 88th minute when Shaw sent Bowler down the left and the sustitute equalled last season's tally with his second goal after advancing at pace and succeeding with an angled drive from 16 yards.