Monday 3rd March 2014
by Matt Carter
Match pics by Dave Pursglove - full gallery HERE

Luton Town 3-0 Alfreton Town FC
Skrill Premier Division
Kenilworth Road, Saturday 1st March 2014, ko 3pm

Alfreton Town may have become runaway Skrill Premier leaders Luton Town's latest victims as they steamroller their way back into the Football League, but there were many positive signs to emerge from Saturday's game.

Plus there's news of reduced admission charges for youngsters for all of Alfrton's home games in March. See details below.

In the corresponding fixture at the Impact Arena earlier in the season, the Hatters had coasted to a 4-0 lead inside the opening 18 minutes before easing off the throttle to add only one further goal, but at least the onerous task of keeping them in check at Kenilworth Road succeeded in frustrating them for almost a third of the game, as evidenced below!


It was a record-breaking 13th consecutive home win in the Conference for Luton, whilst the Reds were playing in front of the biggest crowd in their history, 8,412, (below) which eclipsed the 7,369 that had witnessed their FA Cup First Round second replay against Barrow at Saltergate on November 20th, 1969.



Tom Shaw was recalled to a bolstered midfield with Job Ayo Akinde on the bench as Shaun Harrad ploughed a lone furrow up front, but the early chances came Alfreton's way with Dan Bradley firing wide on 13 minutes after Harrad had flicked on Bradley Wood's cross.

Ten minutes later, Bradley was slightly off balance as he missed the target from Shaw's pass, but gradually the hosts began to apply pressure and in the 27th minute, Shaw recovered well after initially selling Andrai Jones short on the edge of his own area.

Two minutes later though, Bedfordshire was set alight with the opening goal, which stemmed from an Andre Gray cross that led to Luke Guttridge beating Jon Worsnop at his near post at the second attempt after Wood had cleared off the line.

1-0

A neat back-heel from Wood found Josh Law, who became bogged down as he was quickly surrounded by defenders, then a measure of Luton's containment was reflected in the game's first corner after 40 minutes which was won by Bradley from a Jones cross.

Both Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu and Gray went close as the first half petered out.

HT: 1-0

Three minutes after the restart, Harrad sent a header over from 16 yards from a Bradley cross.

Luton's first corner on 50 minutes saw Michael Wylde clear Fraser Franks' header off the line, but an error of judgement by Jones two minutes later as he tried to usher a wayward Mpanzu shot out of play, allowed Franks to nip in and leave Gray with a simple tap-in.

2-0

Harrad's angled 55th minute drive was held by Hatters' long-serving keeper Mark Tyler, who then had to tip over Bradley's thunderous drive at full stretch six minutes later from a Shaw tee-up, with Wood then heading over from the subsequent corner.


Alfreton's Man of the Match was Godfrey Poku

Ronnie Henry's driven cross needed parrying at his near post by Worsnop, then the Reds' keeper reacted sharply to smother as Gray was played through by Alex Lawless, before Mpanzu fired over from 18 yards to groans from the crowd.

Manager Law reverted to 4-4-2 for the final 14 minutes of the game with Akinde replacing Wood, and the substitute was soon advancing along the by-line before seeing his angled attempt turned behind by Tyler.

The result was put beyond any lingering doubt four minutes from time following a fluke occurrence, when Worsnop hacked a clearance against Wylde to leave Jake Howells free to set Paul Benson up for a simple conversion.

FT: 3-0

Results on the day largely went in Alfreton's favour and they remain firmly embedded in the play-off positions, with a return trip to Kenilworth Road in the not too distant future still a possibility.


In the final analysis, manager Nicky Law (left), identified three defensive errors that cost his team. "If you take those mistakes out of the game there was not a great deal between the teams" he reflected after the game.

"Up to the first goal the game plan worked - they haven't caused us a problem.

"Probably what we did worked against us, because we've nullified them, their shape went to 4-4-2 then it's a poor piece of defending for the first goal and it's going to make it hard for you" he reflected.

"We've gone in at half-time disappointed, we've come out second half and again, there's nothing in the game. Then young Andrai Jones has tried to usher the ball out, and like l've just said to him in there, player's make mistakes, but good players learn from them.

"We're 2-0 down but l still think we can get a goal and get back into it, but the third goal sums it up - any chance we had went out the window with that one. You could train for 14 days and 14 nights and not allow for the goalkeeper whacking the ball straight up somebody's back-side!"

But Law took plenty of positives from Alfreton's performance against a side who are almost certainly going to be in SkyBet League Two next season. He said: "l think there were a lot of positives from it. l came here on Tuesday and saw five goals go in against Wrexham - l don't think we've struggled with these today - l think we've created our own problems.

"If you make those three mistakes you normally get away with two of them against the average team at this level - l feel they have players above the average of this level - John Still has some great players - but if you take the mistakes out of the game, there was not a great deal between them."

Alfreton Town:
15 Jon Worsnop, 10 Dan Bradley, 03 Connor Franklin, 07 Josh Law,
05 Michael Wylde, 16 Nick Fenton, 02 Bradley Wood (18 Job Ayo Akinde, 76), 25 Andrai Jones, 08 Tom Shaw, 23 Godfrey Poku, 24 Shaun Harrad
Subs not used: 12 Daniel Meadows, 09 Paul Clayton, 20 Jay McFadzean,
06 Darran Kempson

Luton Town:
01 Mark Tyler, 11 Jake Howells, 25 Ronnie Henry, 05 Steve McNulty,
12 Scott Griffiths, 43 Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, 02 Fraser Franks,
19 Cameron McGeehan (23 Matt Robinson, 64),
21 Luke Guttridge (07 Alex Lawless, 68), 26 Paul Benson (09 Jon Shaw, 88),
27 Andre Gray
Subs not used: 16 Elliot Justham, 06 Anthony Charles

Goals:
Luton Town - Luke Guttridge (29), Andre Gray (52), Paul Benson (86).

Bookings:
Alfreton Town:
Godfrey Poku (77, foul on Alex Lawless); Tom Shaw (87, foul on Jake Howells).

Referee: Peter Bankes (Liverpool)

Attendance: 8,412 (79 Alfreton fans)

Man of the Match: Godfrey Poku

REDUCED HOME PRICES FOR ALL YOUNG REDS IN MARCH

Alfreton Town Football Club is continuing the recent policy of cheaper admission for younger fans for all Skrill Premier home games at the Impact Arena in March.

The Reds are extending their "Kids for a Quid" deal for under-16s (if accompanied by an adult) and Young Adults (16-21 year olds) will be able to gain admission for must £5 each for all home fixtures during March.

Adults can still gain entry for £16 with an Earlybird Ticket and for £15 via a Group Saver Ticket.

Details on how to apply for these can be found HERE

Alfreton Town's home games in March are:
Saturday, March 8th - Lincoln City
Tuesday, March 11th - Hyde FC
Tuesday, March 18th - Tamworth
Saturday, March 29th - Nuneaton Town

For more information, please click to visit Alfreton Town FC's Website

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