We certainly need a replacement for Franks in the squad but am not optimistic on a Dyer replacement with Wakefield/The Manager on the books.

Alfreton Fan wrote:

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Hi Guys.

Is there any chance of this game being called off? Whats the state of your pitch/ the weather forecast?

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None whatsoever.

Bit of light rain due tonight but that's it I believe. Pitch slopes so drains very well

Whilst I would not disagree  with much of what you say, but a class above us I think not, more worldly wise but never "a class above us".

They may have been dominant in the air(at the back) and initially more lively in winning the first ball, however, I did not see any signs of a side whose gameplay was vastly better than ours.  Indeed Butch had as little to do as their keeper.  Having seen the majority of our games this season I am more than surprised they are in the top three.

Well, Alfreton were cute - little nudges and pushes which went unpunished and a couple or more flattenings.  Today, we paid the price for a 12 hour round trip and an exhausting game at Gateshead whereas Alfreton had had at least a couple of weeks' rest and they looked sharper and quicker to the ball as a result. A very strong side with lots of quality players and a defence which, in the first half, looked so fierce it seemed they only had to stare people out!   From the very first 10 minutes of the match, Kurtis was pushed and brought down.  We have a young, skilled, side which should receive protection from referees and, unfortunately, when we try to adopt the same tactics as our opponents we are not quite so crafty and get booked.  Oh for a Scott Kinch on these occasions.  If the ref had been a mite more consistent, then it seemed we had two penalty claims equally as valid as that awarded to Alfreton.

Incidentally, respect to both sets of fans behind the goals who withstood the biblical downpour.

I thought they were quite clever really they let us have the ball in our own half and when we got it a dangerous area they moped up with two or three players quite well. they were also a big side across the park and used their strength to good effect.

As for the rain and storm Noah would have been proud of that one but it showed up referee up as a clown - how he did not take the players off for a few minutes was beyond me. If a referee does not stop the game for that what chance have you got?

Great to see Jack Obersteller back playing today.  Also, I thought Harry Cornick played exceptionally well in that last ten minutes in horrific conditions.  Some of us wondered why Jamie had put him on the bench, but perhaps, in his wisdom, he knew that Alfreton were a very physical side and wanted to spare young Harry such a long baptism of fire.