Pre season: Tuton brace seals win at Mickleover

A second half brace from Shaun Tuton sealed back to back pre season wins for Billy Heath’s Reds in a hotly contested and physical encounter with local rivals Mickleover.

Tuton planted a header into the far corner from Elliott Reeves’s pinpoint cross on 51, the hosts immediately replied with a long range effort which second half goalkeeper Teddy Unwin-Marris spilled to gift Mickleover an equaliser.

However Alfreton pushed on and regained the lead on 61, following miscommunication at the back between the hosts goalie and the defender. Tuton gobbled up the loose ball to finish from a few yards to ultimately seal the win under the lights.

The first half saw the Reds boss possession and have the majority of the chances. Danny Clarke saw his volley blocked at the far post, before he headed wide from a Nathan Fox near post cross.

A trialist then headed wide at the far post for us, as the first half drew to a scrappy and cagey end.

The second half saw the game open up far more, the younger Reds squad caused problems throughout the half and with 51 gone; Tuton planted a header back across the goalie from Reeves' cross.

The lead was short lived as Mickleover replied immediately, Unwin-Marris spilling a shot from range.

Efforts came from Harvey Grice but the hosts goalkeeper held them well. We then re-gained the lead on 61 as Tuton prodded home following a defensive error in the Mickleover box.

Reeves saw a shot well saved before Adam Lund had a shot blocked on the right side of the box, the resulting corner found Dom Smith whose header was blocked. Tuton should have grabbed his hat-trick on 75 as he fired the ball into the ground and over the bar from five yards.

Reeves then forced a save again with the goalie palming the Reds forward effort over the bar. The Reds saw out the result and it was another positive performance and workout ahead of the season start on the 3rd October.

Alfreton next travel to Grantham Town on Saturday, kick off is 3pm.

First half #ATFCXI:
Willis; Clackstone, Fox, Branson, Lees, Trialist, Trialist, Bradley (c), Clarke, Johnson, Trialist.

Second half #ATFCXI:
Unwin-Marris, Hinchley, Smith, Trialist, Lund, Branson (Bradley 67), Grice, Trialist, Trialist, Tuton (Trialist 84), Reeves.

Attendance: 300