Depleted hosts Boro dig deep to earn goalless draw with Alfreton

Several days of snow and rain left the Queensgate pitch wet and boggy, but both sides contributed to an absorbing game, with lots of effort and commitment, although defences were on top throughout.

Boro gave a debut to Hull City loanee Noah Wadsworth, with Kieran Weledji pushed into an attacking role, and Harry Green back in the team after missing four games with a back injury.

Alfreton were on top in the early stages, Jack Leckie causing problems with his long throws and Bayley McCann sending over some testing crosses.

Adam Lund had a shot blocked by Jake Hull, Alex Brown headed an in-swinging McCann cross to safety, and the outstanding Will Thornton intercepted a through-ball towards Siya Ligendza.

Boro attacks saw Brown, Rio Allan and Luca Colville all fire wide, then Colville teed up Green, who fizzed a shot wide, and a cross from Green bounced off the top of the crossbar.

In Boro’s best chance of the game on 35 minutes, an Alex Purver free-kick was met by the head of Jake Hull, but keeper Harry Burgoyne made a terrific save to push the ball wide.

Purver then had a shot blocked by Ligendza, while for the visitors, a McCann free-kick was headed goalwards by Mark Beck, but Wadsworth hooked the ball off the goal-line, then two minutes before the interval, a thumping McCann free-kick struck the underside of the bar, with Ryan Whitley grabbing the ball before it rolled over the line.

There were fewer chances after the break, as defences remained on top, Weledji blazed over, a Colville through-ball towards Allan in the area was cut out by Nathan Newall, and the lively Green jinked into the box, but his cross was grabbed by keeper Burgoyne at his near post.

In Alfreton attacks Ligendza headed over, Thornton tackled Beck as he charged forward, and Wadsworth headed clear a swerving cross from Beck.

A fabulous ball forward from Colville sent Green racing through, but Harry Pettit hacked clear, then Alfreton were foiled by a brilliant diving save from Whitley on 78 minutes, when he pushed wide a ferocious shot from McCann, and a few minutes later Brown threw his body in the way of a Ligendza shot.

Thornton, Hull and keeper Whitley won all the high balls into the Boro area, but McCann almost broke the deadlock when he sent over a free-kick, with Whitley reaching to grab the ball as it dipped under the bar, and in stoppage time Max Hunt headed into the arms of Whitley.

BORO - Whitley, Wadsworth, Brown, Hull, Thornton (c), Purver, Allan (Bennett 87), Coyle, Weledji, Green, Colville, unused subs - Gibson-Booth, Chapman, Marshall.

ALFRETON - Burgoyne, Newall, Leckie, Lund (c), Hunt, Cantrill, Salmon, Perritt, Beck, McCann, Ligendza, unused subs - McDonagh, Wallace, Derham, Anderson, Dodoo, Abbey, Hawkins.

REFEREE - Jack Churchill.

GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO 7 (1 on target) ALFRETON 7 (4 on target).

CORNERS - BORO 4 ALFRETON 7.

OFFSIDES - BORO 0 ALFRETON 1.

YELLOW CARDS - Noah Wadsworth, Harry Green, Alex Purver (Boro), Jack Leckie, Nathan Newall, Siya Ligendza, Harry Perritt (Alfreton).

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Will Thornton.

ATTENDANCE - 509.