Alfreton Town start their FA Trophy campaign on Saturday afternoon with a tricky trip to fellow National League North side Blyth Spartans in the Third Qualifying Round. Kick off at Croft Park is 3pm.

It's been another break in the schedule for Billy Heath and the Reds, with last Saturday's National League North fixture with Gloucester City postponed at the Impact Arena. The postponement may have slowed momentum in the league with Alfreton slipping to ninth after last weekend's results; however another week without a fixture would have allowed valuable time for injury recovery within the squad.

The Reds last outing was at Hereford on the 12th November as we claimed a massive mid-week win and a first ever win at Edgar Street with a 2-1 victory. The three points lifted us then, back into the play-offs and reignited the Reds push.

We got off to the perfect start with Danny East hitting a sweet dipping low volley from outside the box with Hall in the Bulls goal rooted, after just four minutes on the clock. It was a great reward after a good start to the game, however Hereford equalised with 12 gone when Sodeinde's cross took a glance off Ryan Qualter's head and went into the corner.

However we rallied and soaked up sporadic pressure whilst carrying a threat of our own in the first half. The winner came on 49 minutes when Amari latched onto a loose ball in the box following a corner and rifled a shot into the top corner from five yards.

We head into Saturday's FA Trophy tie looking to improve on last season's attempt which saw us fall at this hurdle last season. A 2-0 home defeat to then Evo-Stik Farsley Celtic in the Third Qualifying Round ended our hopes last season.

The Reds will be looking for back to back wins in all competitions after the Hereford success and back to back away wins in all competitions.

Hosts Blyth have had a season of big change with key players departing in the summer and raft of new additions to their squad and new boss in Lee Clark.

After a horrid start to the 2019/20 season which saw the Spartans go without a win in 12, they have steadied the ship, losing just twice in their last eight in all competitions. They still find themselves in 21st place in the league table, two points from safety but Blyth's recent results will be cause for positivity that they can finish the season away from the relegation places.

The Spartans have lost just once in their last five with their last result being a 2-0 mid-week defeat to Boston in the NLN on Tuesday. Home form has been good with the hosts unbeaten in their last five, winning three.

Saturday's tie presents a good chance for both sides to build a strong cup run after FA Cup exits and an interesting tussle awaits at Croft Park.

Ground Address:
Croft Park, Plessey Road, Blyth, Northumberland, NE24 3JE.

Admission:
Adults - £12, 65 years & above - £7, 11-16 years & Students with valid student ID - £5, Up to 10 years ( accompanied by adult) – Free

Information for travelling Reds:
Food and drink can be purchased from the below locations:
Blyth Spartans Social Club
Situated at Croft Park, the Social Club is welcoming to all fans and is popular haunt of the Spartans regulars before and after the match. It is also the ideal spot to pick up a copy of the matchday programme. The club has two large screen TVs and also boasts a pool table, table football, dart board and quiz machine.

The Masons Arms
Situated about 150 metres further up Plessey Road, the Masons is the most popular location – along with the Social Club – for pre-match and post-match drinks. The bar offers a friendly welcome to all visiting supporters and provides entertainment via a pool table, jukebox, dart board, etc. It also offers a wide selection of beers and lagers.

The Wallaw
Situated in the centre of Blyth in the renovated Wallaw Cinema, this Wetherspoons pub offers a wide selection of beers and lagers, hot food and an outdoor area.

Form (Last five):
Reds - LLWLW
Blyth - WDWDL

Last Meeting:
Saturday 10th August 2019: ATFC 3-0 Blyth Spartans
Our last meeting with the Spartans came earlier in the season as we dispatched the visitors thanks to goals from Josh Thacker in the first half before a Bobby Johnson cracker and then a Ryan Qualter finish in the second period sealed three points at the Impact Arena.