GATESHEAD made the long trip back up the A1 on Saturday with three points to boost their play-off hopes and put a dent in those of Alfreton, whose seven-match unbeaten league run was brought to an end in the first fixture of 2009.
Although the Reds also played their part in a gripping game and had the better of the second half, the measure of the Tynesiders’ first half superiority was greater, making them worthy winners over the 90 minutes.
Unfortunately for Nicky Law’s side, all they had to show for their efforts was an injury time consolation goal when Paul Clayton’s glancing header made sure that Tom Curtis’ powerful 22-yard shot went in.
But it was the Tynesiders who looked the more realistic play-off candidates over the 90 minutes, striking two clinical first half goals, then hitting their hosts with a sucker punch in the 83rd minute after soaking up some strong pressure, during which Kyle McFadzean struck Paul Musselwhite’s post with a cracking 69th-minute drive.
Alfreton showed the first sign of a breakthrough in the fourth minute when Musselwhite just beat Liam Hearn to boot clear Clayton’s head on.
A minute later though, Lee Novak showed what a threat he was going to be throughout the 90 minutes when he broke through but, with no support, his finish was off target.
Novak then laid off from the by-line to Jamie Harwood whose close range attempt Kyle Sutcliffe managed to grasp.
Carl Jones made two important blocks for the visitors within a couple of minutes of each other to deny Hearn on both occasions, but Gateshead’s lively attacking duo of Alex Francis and Novak continued to cause numerous problems for the busy home rearguard.
However, it was Stephen Turnbull who opened the scoring on 20 minutes, sweeping home Novak’s centre from the right.
Ben Muirhead almost conjured up an equaliser three minutes later with a thunderbolt of a shot from the left which flashed past the far post.
Generally, though, it was Gateshead who were asking most of the questions, but when the Reds countered Hearn cleverly turned past James Curtis only to find no-one available to supply the finishing touch to his low centre, while Musselwhite competently saved Clayton’s low drive from the left as Hearn closed in.
There was a strange incident four minutes before the break when substitute Tony Butler, warming up, did not return the ball quickly enough for Worksop official Mr Hermuzi’s satisfaction, and picked up a yellow card.
Two minutes later Sutcliffe was on hand to save as Novak flicked Stephen Turnbull’s cross towards goal.
But as the half entered overtime Novak doubled the visitors’ lead. It was a bad time for the Reds to concede a second goal, and Paul Ellender will surely ask himself how he allowed the lively forward to escape his attentions and go clear to beat Sutcliffe in a one on one.
It doubled the size of the mountain Alfreton had to climb in the second half, but the Reds set about their task and both Clayton and Ellender were a whisker away from headed connections at the back post from Josh Law’s free kick.
Alfreton had loud penalty appeals turned down four minutes in as Clayton latched onto Law’s ball over the top and went down under Musselwhite’s diving challenge. But the keeper came out of it with the ball in his hands and Mr Hermuzi firmly rejected all claims.
Even so, Sutcliffe still had to be at his best throughout the second half when the Tynesiders counter-attacked, while Ellender made an important interception as Novak almost set up strike partner Alex Francis.
Mr Hermuzi continued to irritate the above-average home crowd with some decisions which appeared rather less than even-handed, and they were angered again when he produced a yellow card for skipper Tom Curtis to punish what was really a minor offence on Phil Turnbull in no man’s land on 53 minutes.
A minute on, Matt Wilson played an astute pass forward to Muirhead whose shot on the turn from just inside the area Musselwhite did well to claw away, and shortly afterwards the keeper again thwarted Muirhead in a race for Hearn’s flick on.
It was not all one way traffic though, and when Harwood put Francis clear Sutcliffe defiantly stood his ground to deflect the shot for a corner, then the keeper showed his prowess again to save from Novak who had raced clear with the home side pushing forward in a bid for some reward of their own.
They almost got that reward in the 69th minute when Kyle McFadzean, who had switched to central defence to accommodate the introduction of Anton Brown for Ellender, rattled the post with a 20-yard daisy-cutter.
Sutcliffe made an excellent double save, first parrying Wayne Phillips’ angled shot and then recovering to deny Francis’ follow-up as the visitors tried to wrap up the points.
But there was nothing the keeper could do when McFadzean and Jordan Hall got in each other’s way going for the same ball, leaving Harwood clear. As Sutcliffe advanced, Harwood fed Novak on his left to give the overall man of the match a simple tap into the empty net.
Alfreton finally breached Musselwhite’s defences in the second minute of stoppage time. Simon Marples supplied Tom Curtis who let fly from some 22 yards. It was probably going in anyway, but Clayton’s headed deflection made certain.
However, although the goal was deserved for the Reds’ contribution to a very good game, it was too little, too late, and provided only a modicum of consolation.
ALFRETON TOWN: Sutcliffe, Marples, McFadzean, Ellender (Brown 64), Wilson, T. Curtis, Muirhead (M. Smith 87), Hall, Clayton, Hearn, Law (Davidson 85). Subs not used: Butler, Evans.
GATESHEAD: Musselwhite, Baxter, D. Smith (Brackstone 64), S. Turnbull, J. Curtis, Jones, Harwood, P. Turnbull, Francis (Southern 85), Novak, Phillips (Hocking 78). Subs not used: Gate, Norton.
REFEREE: James Hermuzi of Worksop.
ATTENDANCE: 448.
GOALS: Alfreton – Clayton 90+2. Gateshead – S Turnbull 20; Novak 45, 83.
CAUTIONS: Alfreton – Butler 41 (unsporting conduct); Curtis 53 (foul on P Turnbull); Davidson 90+4 (foul on Baxter).
