4G defeat a calamity, says disappointed Law

Angry Alfreton Town boss Nicky Law blasted his side's defending after a 6-3 defeat at Harrogate Town.
Alfreton Town manager Nicky Law.Alfreton Town manager Nicky Law.
Alfreton Town manager Nicky Law.

“I feel sorry for the supporters who travelled up here today and paid good money,” he said.

“It was a comical performance and I won’t defend it. The players need to hang their heads.

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“They should be distraught. We concede too many goals and offensively are not good enough. We have conceded six goals against bang average.

“We have beat ourselves. They are not that good, we have just made them look good.

“We could have had Aguero up front today and it wouldn’t have mattered.

“It is a calamity. There are no excuses. ”

Alfreton, aiming for back-to-back National League North wins and to stretch their unbeaten run in all competitions to six matches, took a sixth minute lead through Mark Shelton, who took advantage of a defensive mix-up.

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But then they conceded three goals in five minutes as the match, the Reds’ first time on a 4G surface, was turned on its head.

Former Alfreton midfielder Joe Leesley created the three goals as Warren Burrel swept in his cross and Simon Ainge twice headed in corners.

Leesley made it 4-1 with a free kick before half-time and Ainge completed his hat-trick to stretch the hosts’ lead.

Half-time substitute Paul Clayton pulled a goal back for Alfreton with a glancing header from Marshall’s cross and Shelton twice went close to further goals.

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However, Ainge struck again from a poor back pass before Craig Westcarr converted a penalty for the visitors to complete the scoring.

Law said: “It is massively disappointing. We have come away from home and scored three times, but they have beaten us fair and square.

“Disappointingly, they were two yards quicker than we were.

“They didn’t make the mistakes that we did. It was just a bad day and it is disappointing. We created chances that we have not taken, scored three goals away from home and got well beaten. It is down to too many individual mistakes.”

Law, who brought back Fabian Spiess after loan keeper Ross Etheridge was recalled by Doncaster Rovers, absolved defender Brad McGowan from his criticism, adding: “If we had another Brad we don’t lose that game. He headed everything, he was magnificent.

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“He has been off all week ill with a bad chest. Without him I don’t know what the score would have been.

“When one of your back five is the only one who performs, maybe that gives you an insight into why we lost the game.

“If your defenders can’t head the ball and stop people getting shots, or win a header from a set play, you won’t win.”