> 24.9.2007

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The Pitmen finally got back on track in the UniBond Premier this evening with a much brighter performance - and a win - over struggling Ilkeston Town at Keys Park. There were wholesale changes to the side that had lost at North Ferriby on Saturday, with three new faces in the side - Sam Hall, on loan from Burton Albion, in place of Rob Hawthorne; Ashley Wooliscroft, signed from Kidsgrove, in place of Dave Macpherson, dropped to the bench and stripped of the captaincy; and Linden Dovey, a striker from Shifnal Town, in place of the injured Ross Dyer

It started as well as it could have for the home side, who raced into a sixth minute lead courtesy of two former Ilkeston players. A long diagonal ball from Paul Robinson found Chris Adam unmarked on the left hand corner of the penalty area. The winger controlled the ball before firing past Paul Pettinger in the Ilkeston goal to give the Pitmen a moral-boosting lead

It was all Hednesford in the first twenty minutes, and Adam could have added to his, and Hednesford's, goal with an identical set-up to his sixth minute strike. This time, he dragged his shot wide of the far post, rather than find the corner

Dovey was doing his best to impress the faithful with a cheeky chip that just cleared the crossbar. A few minutes later, his former Shifnal team-mate Dominic Heath produced a wonderful run and cross from the right that no-one took a chance on inside the six yard box 

At the other end, an Adam Muller effort was well saved by Rene Gilmartin, but this was as close as the visitors had come to a goal in a first half bossed by the home side

Phil Starbuck's former Nottingham Forest team-mate Nigel Jemson, player/manager of Ilkeston, came on at the break, and joined his side in attempting to kick everything in black and white. Three Ilkeston players were booked in quick succession as their physical game saw them gain little advantage

There was a big shout for a penalty four minutes into the second half, when a flailing Ilkeston arm seemed to divert the ball away from the busy Dovey, but all protests were waved away by the referee, who gave a corner

It was from this corner that the Pitmen eventually grabbed a second goal. After failing to clear the ball, Ilkeston gave away a free kick just outside the box. From the free kick, via Tom Ward, Woolliscroft and Dovey, the ball dropped to Tom Marshall, newly promoted to captain, who turned the ball home from virtually on the goal-line

The home side enjoyed plenty of possession throughout the second period, with Dovey particularly impressive with his non-stop work-rate. He almost snatched a deserved debut goal ten minutes from the end, cutting in from the lft hand side and curling a shot that forced Pettinger into a good save

At the other end, a number of half chances for the visitors were snuffed out by the impressive pairing of Robinson and Marshall, looking more sold than they had done in weeks. It all bodes well for when Alfreton come visiting on Saturday in the F.A. Cup  cds

Alfreton Town (H) FAC

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