AFC Telford United 4 Alfreton 1: Trio of second half goals wraps up emphatic victory
A second-half salvo of three goals earned the Bucks a win to stay in the playoff positions in the Enterprise National League North, writes Rich Worton.
After a shock 2-1 home defeat to bottom side Leamington in midweek, the Bucks needed a response, and although the visitors indicated that they could make life difficult for Kevin Wilkin’s side, they stuck to their task and overcame the visitors’ graft with guile.
Wilkin made three changes to the side that lost to Leamington. Captain Alex Fletcher returned after suspension, Charlie Williams took a starting berth on the right of an attacking trio, and Adan George replaced Matty Stenson as the central striker. Stenson has a toe injury that he has been playing through, and he dropped out, along with Dylan Mitchell and Jordan Cranston.
Jake Buxton’s Alfreton side probably edged the opening stages, and their style looked to be winning out. The Reds are always fairly direct and like to turn matches into a battle, and they appeared to be gaining the upper hand, resulting in them claiming the opener.
Centre-back Max Hunt, still in the box after a corner, struck a first-time shot past Josh Gracey after Gracey had parried a return shot from 18 yards into an open area, and a covering Bucks defender didn’t get to Hunt quickly enough.
The lead lasted just two minutes. In the 28th minute, captain Alex Fletcher produced a composed finish inside the box; good approach play from Ammar Dyer helped to pick out the midfielder, and he guided the ball into the bottom right corner to level the scores. Reds keeper Charlie Casper almost got to it, but the ball crept inside the post.
The Bucks grew in confidence as the half progressed, carrying momentum into the break, and felt they ought to have had a penalty when George Cantrill manhandled Remi Walker.
With scores level at the interval, the visitors made a triple substitution, but whatever Buxton’s aim was in making the changes, it brought no real upturn for the Reds.
The second half brought a surge of attacking purpose from the home side, and they began to move the ball around, leaving the Reds looking overworked.
In the 64th minute, Cawthorne met a corner at the near post, steering it past Casper to put the Bucks ahead.
The visitors had offered little threat, and the idea that they would have to take risks to get some reward offered the prospect of more goals.
In truth, before the visitors could mount a genuine response, Remi Walker’s curling free kick in the 70th minute, from the left, evaded everyone and dropped straight into the far corner, extending the lead.
That ended the game as a contest. Alfreton barely got into the Bucks’ half in the final 20-25 minutes, leaving Gracey as a spectator.
The Bucks should have had a penalty when Jordan Piggott was dragged down in the box at a corner, a Reds defender having hold of the neckline of Piggott’s shirt, but referee Darren Rogers wasn’t interested.
As Alfreton tired, the game became stretched, and the Bucks capitalised again in the 82nd minute, when substitute Jimmy Armson’s superb outside of the foot ball across goal was turned in by Dylan Allen Hadley.
A further flurry of late substitutions saw the Bucks’ replacements eager to join in the fun and Armson produced a few party pieces, but the game ended with no further score.
Attendance: 1,144.
AFC Telford United (4-3-3): Gracey, Dyer, Meddows, Piggott, Cawthorne, Fletcher ©, Walker (Armson 73’), Leshabela (Mitchell 89’), Williams (Hilton 84’), George (Dinanga 77’), Allen-Hadley (Lawal 86’).
Subs: (unused) Cranston, Craig.
Cautioned: Meddows, Cawthorne, Piggott.
Alfreton Town FC: (4-5-1): Casper, Freeman (Salmon 45’), Hunt, Lund, Newall, Newell, Lissimore, Cantrill, Alker (Fewster 45’), McCann (Goodman 45’), McDonagh (Ayres 69’).
Subs (unused): Osborne, Dodoo, Wright.
Cautioned: McDonagh.
Referee: Darren Rogers.
Assistants: Minesh Gupta, George Salloway.
Fourth Official: Alexander Perkin.
