Hire Car

Alfreton Town 1-1 Oxford City (National League North)

I've hired a car. The Mrs is using mine whilst she waits for a brand new one to be sent next month and I've got plenty of games cross country for this next week so they've given me a Peugeot 2008 until Friday and said 'crack on'.

Both Alfreton Town and Oxford City have been pretty shocking of late. The two teams seriously starting to look over their shoulder after some really worrying form, previously safe looking in mid-table the Reds have slumbered to just two wins in fifteen, they are without a victory in seven, are still eleven points above the drop zone but are in real danger of getting sucked in if they don't pick up some vital three points from their remaining ten games.

Oxford City are even closer to trouble, just a couple of points above Needham Market in the last of the four relegation places, they haven't won in seven and lost by seven, last time out thumped at home to Buxton 7-0.

Something will have to give today. Or perhaps it won't?

I'm off in my new hire car, working out where everything is as I trudge through the Saturday afternoon Nottingham ring road traffic, onto the M1 and A38, pulling up a couple of streets from North Street, home of Alfreton Town, for 1:30pm.

The Venue

It's still quiet, so much so I could probably have parked outside the ground as one of the Oxford Directors pulls up in a Range Rover and asks a steward where he can shove his car.

I'm walking as usual through a tiny reception door next to the turnstiles, a quaint and cute ground which for me is what non league football is all about.

Located in the heart of the community the Impact Arena is a mish mash of all things you love about these type of football grounds, something blue, something borrowed, old and weather-warn in parts, red painted, green pitch sloped, glistening on this spring Saturday afternoon.

I'm asked if I want a programme as I walk past a stall selling pin badges, making my way up to the cushty tight press seating area, I'm past Alfreton manager Billy Heath and a number of players who he's having a pre-game discussion with.

From the press seats I'm greeted by the clubs usual faces, a scout from Sheffield is here, one from Scunthorpe and the Oxford radio team, I have a word with Liam who runs Alfreton's twitter and remind him "you need a win today".

The Game

Alfreton have mixed things up slightly and not for the better in my opinion, at home against lowly opposition who haven't won for as long as they, Billy Heath has decided to go 5-4-1 with three centre halves, usual faces Dwayne Wiley and Josh Clackstone banished to the bench, they don't seem their usual aggressive selves, lacking of confidence midst a patch that is getting sticker by the week.

Oxford have had a rocket up their arse following their 7-0 defeat to Buxton, they've came out confident and up for the fight, I tell the Scout next to me, "you need to be up for the scrap against Alfreton, if you match them in that department, you have a chance, if you don't, you'll get turned over".

And Oxford more than do match Alfreton's physical frolics, they start the better of the two teams and take the lead on ten minutes, Zac McEachran, given too much time and space inside the area to swivel and shoot the hoops in lime green today, into the lead.

McEachran comes from a football family of top class players (Josh & George also forging good careers), now 29 he's silky and smooth himself, the player on show today that is easiest on the eye, as all the rest battle and bash lumps out of each other. Alfreton as always, direct, long up to Jake Day who like the glue sticks like sh*t. He holds up everything very well indeed, the long throws by Adam Lund cause havoc, a couple of opportunities are headed wide by the home side but Oxford have defended well, they seem to be playing for the Manager who I presume is under a lot of pressure to keep his job.

The Score

At half time I chuck a pound in the press box tea kitty, pour myself a brew and pinch a jammie dodger before sitting back down in the sunshine for a half of football which is even more keenly contested than the first 45.

It's gripping as Alfreton give all in search of a leveller, Oxford are brilliant, kicking and heading everything away, after conceding seven last week, this is exactly the reaction their fans would have wanted, although not many are here to witness it.

Both teams have given it their all, 115% and it's a credit to the level, to themselves how much they put in, but big centre half Jalen Jones who's played really well, gets himself in trouble. He got booked in the first half and was lucky not to get a yellow early in the second as he snapped down an Alfreton player, he's handled the ball with ten remaining and suddenly City are down to ten men.

That makes a huge difference, Jones is 6ft5 plus, Oxford's tallest player, whilst Alfreton have been bombarding the box with aerial attempts all afternoon, a cross comes in from the right, Day can't make hay, but the ball falls to George Cantrill who outside of the right boot smashes into the top corner.

He doesn't get many Cantrill, usually the enforcer and ball winner in midfield with his aggressive socks rolled down nature, but he comes up with something to salvage, something quite classy and Alfreton have time for a winner, but news that Needham Market are now winning at Chorley, does neither team any favours, in the end Oxford dig in, Alfreton leave it too late, the spoils are shared and both teams see opportunity missed.

The Stars

I feel for Oxford who were the better team on the day, they pressed and defended heroically but when reduced to ten it became too tough to defend their lead against rugged and gamely opposition.

Alfreton gave a debut to Luke Matheson on loan from Bolton at right back, he once scored for Rochdale as a sixteen year old against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Tiny in size and unlike your usual Alfreton player, he was gutsy and game and did well, usual suspects Adam Lund, Max Hunt, George Cantrill, Jake Day, all putting shifts in with steady seven out of ten displays, as they always do.

Whilst Oxford did the same and dug in to scrap with plenty of effort, Chi Ezzenolim and Andre Burley at the back in particular doing well, I liked their flair players when on the ball, McEachran buoyed by an early goal played with suave and intelligence, they took him off with fifteen to go, as you would do when 1-0 up, naturally, but had they kept him on things may have been different, on a day when keeping the ball was difficult, he kept it better than anyone.

Josh Parker in attack is that cool calm experienced head you need, his goals will be the difference should they stay up, Jayden Carbon in an advanced wide position also doing well going forward, but Oxford will now need to rely on their characters to pull them through, as they sit worryingly in the relegation places.

The Verdict

Oxford City are the first club to play in the National South, National League and National North, in three consecutive seasons, they might be in another division by May, little luck they have had this year, but a lot of that blame will lie with themselves, now two points below the line, after Needham Market's win.

Alfreton who are nine points clear now will be hoping that a win is around the corner, both teams played like they still have a lot of fight to give, I think they are both too good to go down, but then tables never lie, and both teams are still needing to improve their fortunes if they are to stay in this division next season.

The Teams

Alfreton Town: David Robson, Max Hunt, Adam Lund, George Cantrill, Jake Day, Liam Waldock (Jed Abbey 67), Nathan Newell, Sam Osborne (Josh Clackstone 74), David Solademi (Dwayne Wiley 34), Akeel Francis, Luke Matheson (Lewis Salmon 80).

Oxford City: Laurie Walker, Andre Burley, Chi Ezennolim, Josh Ashby, Jalen Jones, Zac McEachran (Lewis Coyle 77), Josh Parker, Tom Scott, Jayden Carbon (Phil Croker 81), Jacob Ruddy, Aaron Drewe.

3:00pm Kick Off. Saturday 15th March 2025, North Street, Alfreton (att 409).