| 2009/2010 Season. Match no. 38. Blue Square North fixture no. 31.
Saturday, March 6th, 2010
Alfreton Town 3, Gloucester City 1
Match pics album by Dave Pursglove here
ALFRETON Town maintained their push for a play-off spot by smoothly extending their unbeaten run in Blue Square North to 11 games, which now includes a double over Gloucester City.
The Reds had cruised to a three-goal lead by the 54th minute, with City gaining their consolation three minutes later thanks to a rare slip by Aden Flint who presented Matt Rose with a simple opportunity from eight yards.
Paul Clayton put Alfreton ahead in the 31st minute from close range after Liam Hearn appeared to have been bundled over by Marc Richards as Jake Moult nodded a deep Ian Ross delivery back into the six-yard box.
In the 49th minute Chris Hall marked his first start in a Reds' shirt by slotting home an astute Hearn pass at the back post following a through-ball by Ross, then five minutes later, Hearn spectacularly lashed home a Clayton pass from the furthest edge of the penalty area.
Just 60 seconds had elapsed when Moult played the ball too strongly through for Hearn, who nevertheless dragged the ball back to engineer a shot that Lee Molyneaux blocked at source.
Hall then picked out Clayton in the third minute and his shot was blocked by Jack Harris as Gloucester came under early pressure, then City keeper Mike Green did well to hold a firmly struck Ross free-kick three minutes later.
It may well remain a mystery how Hearn missed the target by such a large margin in the eighth minute when given a clear sight of goal six yards out from Moult's by-line cross, then seven minutes after that, Green had to race out of his area to head clear as Flint sent Hearn scampering for goal.
Hearn smashed a cross from Ross against the bar from 16 yards with 20 minutes gone, then in a Gloucester attack of sorts four minutes later, a long throw by Mike Symons lured Clayton into heading towards his own goal with Kyle McFadzean able to clear.
A low drive from Hearn was directed straight at the keeper two minutes before Clayton's ice-breaker, then Ross wasted a good chance by firing tamely into the side-netting in the 34th minute after Chris Shaw had sent Hearn to the byline.
Six minutes prior to the break Lee Smith fired wildly over for City from a Jack Harris corner, but it was soon business as usual as Alfreton took complete control after their half-time beverage.
A Ross free-kick caught Clayton well off-side in the 70th minute, the ball flying into the net from a terrific overhead kick for what would surely have been "goal of the season", then five minutes later Paddy Gamble had some work to do at last by beating away a powerful drive by Smith.
Alfreton Town: Paddy Gamble, Josh Law, Chris Shaw, Aden Flint, Aden McFadzean, Ian Ross, Jake Moult, Anton Brown, Paul Clayton, Liam Hearn, Chris Hall (Anthony Howell 66).
Substitute not used: Andy Todd, Ben Mills, Dominic Roma, Jack Muldoon.
Gloucester City: Mike Green, Neil Mustoe, Greg Lake, Marc Richards, Lee Molyneaux (Tom Hamblin 56), Matt Rose, Lee Smith, Tom Webb, Ben Hunt (Jack Pitcher 72), Mike Symons (Will Morford 64), Jack Harris.
Substitutes not used: James Palmer and Rob Aldritch.
Referee: Mr Chris Ward of Worksop.
Half-time: 1-0.
Attendance: 410.
Goals: Alfreton Town - Paul Clayton (31), Chris Hall (49), Liam Hearn (54). Gloucester City - Matt Rose (57).
Bookings: Alfreton Town - Ian Ross (90+1, failing to retreat from a free kick). Gloucester City - none.
Reds man of the match: Chris Hall.
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