Injury-ravaged Scarborough Athletic slump to 2-0 defeat at home to Alfreton Town

​Greening’s injury-ravaged team was further depleted by the absence of Will Thornton and Cam Wilson through sickness, although Sheffield Wednesday loanee Mackenzie Maltby was back for his first game since November, writes Steve Adamson.

The visitors, under veteran boss Billy Heath, in his 25th year as a manager, and his 298th game in charge at Alfreton, were also without three first choice players due to injury.

There was a sensational start to the game, as Harry Green played a delightful through-ball to Richie Bennett, who fired wide of the left-hand post, and from the goal-kick by Alfreton keeper Jake Askew, the ball was headed on by former Boro striker Jake Day into the path of Lewis Salmon, who took a touch, and drilled his shot into the bottom right corner, with less than two minutes on the clock.

There was another early blow for Boro, when Alex Brown limped off with a groin injury on 14 minutes, forcing Luca Colville to drop in at left-back.

Boro dominated possession, but found it difficult to break down the strong visiting defence, for whom centre-backs Dwayne Wiley and Adam Anson were outstanding, winning everything in the air.

A David Solademi tackle halted a run into the box from Michael Woods then Bennett laid off to Woods who fired wide, and Luca Colville sent Green clear, but Solademi slid in to clear.

Alfreton broke forward, and Adam Lund’s cross was chested down by Jed Abbey towards Billy Whitehouse, who volleyed wide.

Boro went close on 42 minutes, when Alex Purver teed up Woods, whose fierce 25-yard strike was tipped wide by keeper Askew at full stretch - Boro’s only shot on target in the game.

The second half followed a similar pattern, Boro keeping possession and passing the ball around, but good build-up play was often followed by a poor final ball or solid defending from the visitors.

Green cut in from the left, and had a shot blocked by Josh Clackstone, Maltby twice tried long-range strikes, that both flew well wide, and a Jack Waldron ball across the area fell to Green, whose shot was blocked by Salmond.

Alfreton were content to sit back and soak up the pressure, but they did look dangerous going forward, with Lund’s long throws posing problems, Kieran Weledji heading clear a couple of times. They went close when Gerry McDonagh passed to Abbey, Maltby deflecting his shot out for a corner, from which Lund fired narrowly wide.

The visitors added a crucial second goal on 63 minutes when Whitehouse floated a free-kick forward, Wiley headed on towards McDonagh, who headed goalwards, and Anson slammed into the net at the back post. They almost made it 3-0 when McDonagh latched onto a ball into the area from Nathan Newall, but Boro keeper Ryan Whitley raced out to save at his near post.

It was all Boro from then, Dom Tear passing to Colville, but Newall blocked his shot, a low ball from Green flashed across the goalmouth, and a Colville strike was charged down by Anson. Late on, Bennett stumbled as he connected with an inviting ball into the box from Waldron, Green skied a shot over the bar, and a Kieran Glynn cross was headed wide by Bennett, as Alfreton held on for the three points.

BORO - Whitley, Waldron, Brown (Walker 14), Weledji, Maltby, Purver (c), Green, Tear, Bennett, Woods (Glynn 53), Colville, unused sub - Marshall.

ALFRETON - Askew, Clackstone (Newall 50), Solademi, Wiley (c) (Hunt 83), Cantrill, Anson, Whitehouse, Lund, Day (McDonagh 36), Abbey, Salmon, unused subs - Hall, Robson.

REFEREE - Ben Robinson.

ALFRETON GOALS - Lewis Salmon 2, Adam Anson 63.

GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO 13 (1 on target) ALFRETON 6 (3 on target).

CORNERS - BORO 5 ALFRETON 1.

OFFSIDES - BORO 2 ALFRETON 2.

YELLOW CARDS - Kieran Glynn (Boro), George Cantrill, Lewis Salmon (Alfreton).

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Harry Green.

ATTENDANCE - 1,258 (59 away).