Report by Frank Bridges

A PAUL Clayton double earned Alfreton Town an excellent point to end high flying Harrogate Town’s 100 per cent home record in a see-saw encounter at Wetherby Road on Saturday.
After a goalless first half Clayton fired the Reds into a 58th-minute lead, which lasted only four minutes before makeshift centre-back Leo Fortune-West unluckily put through his own goal.
Darren Dunning then gave Harrogate the lead from the spot in the 77th minute, but Clayton did an ‘Alpha and Omega’ act by being the first and last scorer of the match when he equalised in the 86th minute.
Wetherby Road has a history as a happy hunting ground for the Reds who had won their last two visits there, and only a goal line clearance five minutes into overtime at the end denied them a hat-trick of successes at the venue.
Fortune-West was pressed into service at the back for the absent Martin McIntosh with Simon Marples, Paul Ellender both still carrying injuries. That was the only change to the starting line-up from the midweek FA Cup victory at Ilkeston.
The Reds got off to a bad start with another booking for Kris Bowler after just 35 seconds for a skirmish which, taking place so early in the game, must be some sort of record.
Richard Marshall had a couple of good early efforts for the home side, a snap-shot flashing just wide and a 22-yarder on the turn saved by Tom Evans in the Reds’ goal.
It was 17 minutes before Alfreton mounted a threat, when Clayton brushed off Nathan Peat’s challenge, advanced, and saw his 10-yard shot rebound off keeper Jim Provett’s legs for a corner.
Four minutes later Clayton set up Danny Davidson with a superb pass, but Provett blocked the big striker’s angled drive.
Clayton could not quite get a touch from Josh Law’s run and cross, and when Law’s driven free kick found Clayton at the far post his shot winded the keeper.
Matty Young brought a save out of Evans with an angled drive three minutes before the break, but play quickly switched to the other end where Davidson skipped across the edge of the area to set up Ben Muirhead whose hard, low drive was well held.
Harrogate sent on Jamie Smith for Young at the start of the second half and, after Fortune-West had made an important touch to deny Marshall and loop the ball into Evans’ hands, the substitute saw a 20-yard drive comfortably saved by the Reds keeper.
Davidson glanced a header wide from Law’s 56th-minute free kick after Michael Roddy’s scything challenge on Clayton earned him a booking.
Clayton took his own revenge two minutes later with the opening goal. It stemmed from Muirhead’s pull-back from the by-line. Davidson did well to reach it but could only head it skywards as the keeper tried to punch clear.
When it dropped Davidson forced the ball back to Tom Curtis, whose cross held up for Clayton to score with a deft looping header from inside the six yard box.
Evans saved a close range header from Aaron Hardy a minute later, but Fortune-West’s luck was right out as the Reds’ lead was cancelled out in the 62nd minute, when under pressure from Smith he misdirected his back pass and watched in horror as it went the wrong side of the post from his point of view.
Liam Hearn made his appearance in the 72nd minute and was soon in action, shrugging off skipper Denny Ingram’s challenge only to see his low shot held by Provett.
Alfreton fell behind for the first time in the 76th minute when referee Jason Tyas spotted a trip as James Dean advanced in a crowded area. Although Evans guessed correctly he was beaten by Dunning’s spot kick.
The home fans must have thought that was enough to preserve their unblemished home record, but the Reds had other ideas and Tony Butler’s towering header from Law’s corner was too high.
However, Clayton saved a point in the 86th minute when he slid home Law’s free kick just beyond the far post.
And Alfreton so nearly claimed the victory five minutes into overtime when Nathan Peat got Matt Wilson’s header from Law’s corner off the line.
HARROGATE: Provett, Toulson, Hardy (Lowe 72), Ingram, Whittle, Peat, Young (Smith ht), Dunning, Dean, Marshall, Roddy. Subs not used: Gray, Ormsby, Hedge.
ALFRETON: Evans, Wilson, Brown, Butler, Fortune-West (Cusworth 84), Curtis, Muirhead (Hearn 72), Bowler, Davison (Mayman 72), Clayton, Law.
REFEREE: Jason Tyas of Holmfirth.
ATTENDANCE: 423.
GOALS: Harrogate – Fortune-West og 62; Dunning pen 72. Alfreton – Clayton 58, 86.
CAUTIONS: Harrogate – Ingram 19 (foul on Clayton); Roddy 56 (foul on Clayton). Alfreton – Bowler 1 (skirmish); Curtis 77 (dissent).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Paul Clayton