Alfreton Town and Gainsborough play out bore draw in FA Trophy
To describe the tie as poor would be grossly overselling it, but mercifully visibility was so bad in the second half that most spectators were reduced to watching a misty blur.
Referee Matthew Dicicco did well to see the game through, such was the denseness of the fog, making the sensible decision to blow the final whistle barely a minute into added time.
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Hide AdGainsborough were first to threaten when Reece Hand’s shot was blocked from a Jordan Thewlis cross in the seventh minute
Paul Clayton went closest for Alfreton with a header midway through the second half that just missed the back post from an Adam Smith free-kick.
Then ten minutes from time Clayton forced home keeper George Willis into a late save from a Kallam Mantack cross.
A misty first half, nowhere near as bad for viewing as its successor, had seen Alfreton go close in the 28th minute when Niall Heaton whipped a cross through the goalmouth with Clayton just unable to make contact at full stretch.
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Hide AdThen 14 minutes later Liam Hearn found the net from a Clayton lay-off only to be ruled off-side.
Hearn had also turned neatly in the 30th minute before firing tamely at Willis, then on the stroke of half time the keeper held a well-struck Hearn free-kick after Clayton’s run had been unceremoniously halted by Laurie Wilson.
With seven minutes remaining a blistering drive from an unidentified Gainsborough forward fizzed over both Fabian Spiess and the crossbar.
GAINSBOROUGH: Willis; Lacey, Templeton, Beatson, M.Wilson, Evans, Hands, L.Wilson, Thewlis, Jarman, Reid (Worsfold 72).
SUBS NOT USED: Wiles, Quinn, Roma.
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Hide AdALFRETON: Spiess; Mantack, McGowan, Kennedy, Heaton, Nyoni, R.Wilson, Monkhouse, A.Smith, Clayton, Hearn (Westcarr 82).
SUBS NOT USED: S.Smith, Marshall, Priestley, Allan.
REFEREE: Matthew Dicicco.
ATTENDNACE: 308.