Alfreton Town seal back to back wins

Superb finishes by John Johnston and debutant striker Jordan Robertson meant that eight different Reds’ players, plus an opponent, have now scored from their tally of ten goals, with defender Tom Allan leading the way on two.

Robertson had been drafted straight into the starting line-up, with Sam Jones back in midfield after a short illness, with Joe lronside and Jamie Jackson reverting to the bench.

There was an injury scare after just 60 seconds with Ryan Wilson needing lengthy treatment, but the midfielder shook it off to complete the 90 minutes.

Chorley certainly had the better of the first half, although early chances were squandered by Jake Cottrell and Lewis Guy.

Johnston’s 16th minute angled drive, which was held by home keeper Sam Ashton, was Alfreton’s first attempt at breaking through, then eight minutes later Johnston cut in from the right to fire over.

Andy Teague headed over from Josh Hine’s long throw in the 29th minute, then Matt Duke saved Dale Whitham’s downward header, but Chorley took a 36th minute lead through Andy Bond with a low drive from 12 yards following a cross from Marcus Carver, despite there being a strong suspicion that Stefan Galinski had been impeded.

Three minutes later Allan had Alfreton’s best chance of the first half when his towering header whistled inches wide from Galinski’s free-kick, then Wilson shot over from 25 yards and Johnston fired tamely at Ashton after being sent down the right from Duke’s clearance.

Alfreton emerged from the break a different team, eager to go forward at every opportunity, Johnston twice going close before Robertson thumped the ball against the crossbar from the edge of the area on 52 minutes.

Cliff Moyo was enjoying by far his best game in an Alfreton shirt, combining promising advances down the right flank with a couple of shots, one of which on 63 minutes required a stretching tip over by Ashton.

Duke needed to parry Darren Stephenson’s 71st minute drive, with Hine somehow missing from close range, and that was probably the turning point of the game as Alfreton were level within a further four minutes.

It was a clinical through-ball by Jones that found Johnston on the left, and one touch by the latter took him around Ashton to curl the ball into an unguarded net from a diminishing angle.

As Reds’ fans were still celebrating the equaliser Robertson brilliantly controlled Niall Heaton’s left flank cross to turn and fire low past Ashton from 16 yards with 13 minutes remaining.

There were still a few anxious moments to survive as Alfreton tried to see out the game, notably a clear chance that was blazed over by Teague and a critical stretching save by Duke from a last minute Bond free-kick.

ALFRETON: Duke; Moyo, Galinski, Allan, Jordan, Heaton, Wilson, Leesley, Jones, Johnston (Jackson 82), Robertson (lronside 82]).

Subs not used: Paling, Berry, Draper.

Att: 1143.