2009/2010 Season. Match no. 27. Blue Square North.
Saturday, December 12th, 2009

Alfreton Town 4, Hyde United 0

Match pics album by Bill Wheatcroft here Match pics album by Dave Purseglove here

ALFRETON Town recovered from a dreadful spate of injuries that had seen them lose four of their last six league and cup games, to brush aside Hyde United at the Impact Arena.
And the Reds completed a four-goal league double for the first time in 15 years, having won 5-1 at Ewen Fields earlier in the season when Hyde finished with nine players including a makeshift keeper.
Alfreton have now won 12 of their 27 games in all competitions to date this season and remarkably six of those have seen the Reds win by a minimum of four goals.
Once again the Tigers were depleted, this time after just 12 minutes when Chris Lynch was red-carded for conceding a penalty as Liam Hearn sent Paul Clayton clean through, with Hearn competently despatching the spot-kick to put the hosts 2-0 ahead.
Ben Mills had given them an 11th minute lead when he drilled a low shot past keeper Michael Jones from the edge of the area after Andy Todd had presented Hearn with a run down the left flank from an astute pass.
The third goal was curled around Jones from 18 yards by Ian Ross after his 25th minute left-wing corner had been laid back to him by Dominic Roma, but this signalled an easing of the pressure that had seen the overrun Hyde defence consistently pinned back in their own half.
Josh Law added the fourth goal 17 minutes from time when he hooked Clayton's pass back over Jones to nestle in the far corner of the net and seal an impressive victory.
A mere 75 seconds had ticked by when Jones had to tip over a Clayton lob from Hearn's pass, then Hearn headed over from a Ross free kick in the seventh minute before firing over from Todd's through-ball moments later.
Mills squandered a gilt-edged chance on 15 minutes, doing all the hard work by side-stepping Hyde skipper Scott McNiven to set up a clear sight of goal from Hearn's cross only to allow the defender to recover and shield the ball for the keeper to gather.
Jones then turned aside a Mills drive from 18 yards a minute later, then in their first direct attack United's striker Glynn Hurst saw his header from a 20th minute corner held by Paddy Gamble.
A pivotal moment in the game came in the 22nd minute when Hurst sent David McNiven through but new signing Bobby Aisien marked a useful debut with a superb tackle back.
A 30 yarder from Ross seven minutes after the interval was comfortably dealt with by Jones, then four minutes later Clayton's looping header was pushed away by the keeper following another Ross corner.
Hearn dispossessed Nathan D'Laryea in the 62nd minute before haring at goal and testing Jones yet again, then in the minutes follwing Law's goal Ricky Mercer wasted a couple of clear chances for a consolation when he headed wide then hooked over from successive Hyde corners.

ALFRETON TOWN: Paddy Gamble, Josh Law, Dominic Roma, Bobby Aisien, Kyle McFadzean, Ian Ross, Steve Istead, Ben Mills (Lloyd Kerry 73), Paul Clayton, Liam Hearn (Ben Starosta 81), Andy Todd (Curtis Shaw 89).
Substitutes not used: Laurence Matthewson, Matt Wilson.
HYDE UNITED: Michael Jones, Ricky Mercer, Mark Lees, Scott McNiven, Lee Rick, Nathan D'Laryea, Chris Lynch, Tom Manship, David McNiven (Scott Mooney 72), Glynn Hurst, Kevin Holsgrove.
Substitutes not used: Gerry Harrison, Ben Rowbotham, Neil Tolson, Will Burns.
REFEREE: P Bramley of Leeds.
ATTENDANCE: 302.
HALF-TIME: 3-0.
GOALS: Alfreton Town - Ben Mills (11), Liam Hearn (13, penalty), Ian Ross (25), Josh Law (73).
SENT OFF: Hyde United - Chris Lynch (12, professional foul).
REDS MAN OF THE MATCH: Ian Ross.