ALFRETON Town shared the points for a fourth game in succession when they drew 1-1 at home against third-placed Tamworth in an entertaining encounter on Tuesday evening.
Manager Nicky Law rested his son Josh to the bench and recalled fit again Leo Fortune-West to the starting line-up.
The Reds looked somewhat nervy early doors against a well drilled, swift passing visiting side, but after the break they found their stride and produced a spirited, far more fluent display which had Gary Mills’s side rocking at times.
Indeed, if they had been able to put more pressure on Lambs keeper Will Puddy, there more might have been more points reward as the Tamworth custodian looked decidedly unsure on occasions.
In contrast Tom Evans produced a handful of good stops to keep Alfreton in the game.
Paul Ellender and Martin McIntosh have forged a very good central defensive partnership for Alfreton and they did well to keep a lively visiting attack under control for much of the game.
A lively start saw free-kicks wasted at either end before Puddy was rescued by Craig McAughtrie after dropping a Ben Muirhead cross with Paul Clayton closing in on 13 minutes.
A minute later Tamworth were ahead when captain Martin Foster was allowed too much space to size up and curl a superb 23-yard shot high inside the diving Evans’s left hand post.
Michael Wylde became the game’s only booking on 25 minutes for persistent infringements, the last one on Clayton who had produced a neat turn to try and get away from him.
Kris Bowler and Jordan Hall in particular worked tirelessly in midfield to try and keep the visitors at bay and mid-way through the first period Alfreton began to get more into the game.
The lively Muirhead won and took a left flank corner on from which the Reds equalised on 37 minutes. Paul Ellender got up high to flick the flag kick on and Leo Fortune-West dipped his head amongst the boots at the far post to nod the Reds level from close range.
Muirhead produced another strong run down the left and Puddy claimed well under pressure from Fortune-West.
After gratefully seeing Ellender’s header from a Muirhead free kick come straight at him, Puddy was let off when Clayton headed just wide from an Anton Brown cross after a length of the pitch move.
The game opened out even more in the second half with both sides taking it in turn to attack, Tamworth’s Nick Wright a particular thorn down both flanks.
Muirhead produced a sublime piece of skill to get away from three and then a 40-yard run which just ran into too many bodies on the edge of the visiting area.
In the home goal Tom Evans did well to gather a driven low cross from Alex Rodman and Evans then produced a smart save low down to deny  Gareth Sheldon’s 20-yarder.
And whilst Evans was somewhat fortunate to get away with a poor punch from a McAughtrie free kick, he atoned with a smart stop to keep out Chris Smith’s angled blast.
Foster was criminally given too much space again on 75 minutes and fortunately his 25-yarder fizzed just over the bar.
Alfreton hit back strongly in the latter stages and several raids down both flanks just lacked better delivery into the area as they maintained possession far better than of late.
After Josh Law had replaced Clayton on 84 minutes, one late chance saw McAughtrie clear a Muirhead cross for a corner and when the ball was only half clear Jordan Hall shot over.
ALFRETON TOWN: Tom Evans, Simon Marples, Anton Brown, Paul Ellender, Martin McIntosh, Tom Curtis, Ben Muirhead, Jordan Hall, Paul Clayton (Josh Law 84), Leo Fortune-West, Kris Bowler.
Subs: Tony Butler, Danny Mayman, Dean Oliver, Brian Cusworth.
TAMWORTH: Will Puddy, Des Lyttle, Dominic Langdon, Craig McAughtrie, Michael Wylde, Martin Foster, Nick Wright, Chris Smith, Gareth Sheldon, Alex Rodman, Bradley Pritchard. Subs: Jake Sheridan, Dean Lea, Dale Warburton, Lee Hildreth, Graeme Law.
REFEREE; Scott Ledger of Barnsley.
ATTENDANCE: 413.
CAUTION: Tamworth - Michael Wylde 25, persistent infringements.
GOALS: Alfreton Town - Leo Fortune-West (37). Tamworth - Martin Foster (14).
REDS MAN OF THE MATCH: Ben Muirhead.