Report: Port strike at death to deny Reds elusive win

Jordan Archer's 94th minute finish inside the box saw the points shared at the Pure Stadium as the Reds ended the losing run in the National League North, but came within seconds of leaving with all three points.

Bobby Johnson had given us the lead on the half hour mark with a beauty of a strike into the bottom corner which left Hanford rooted. However the Reds, despite defending well and soaking up pressure; were denied the points with the last kick of the game as Archer squeezed his shot into the bottom corner.

The game lacked quality throughout with the Reds having the better of the first half, Southport the better of the second. Port started on the front foot as Will Atkinson had to clear an early cross, before he then lost the ball on the edge of the box which saw Newell play a pass wide but the offside flag went up.

Nicky Walker curled a free kick into the area but Hanford collected as the contest plodded along with no real goal mouth action. We had our first big chance after 11, when Walker was played through and with just Hanford to beat, his shot was saved to his right by the Port goalkeeper.

Newell's shot was blocked at the other end inside the box before Toby lees nodded a free kick onto Danny Clarke, Clarke took the ball past Hanford but his pass back to Bradley for a shooting chance was mis-placed.

Bobby Johnson couldn't connect cleanly on a shot which trickled to Hanford after Port failed to clear a deflected cross into the box. Then with 31 gone, Bobby found some quality with a wonderful strike from outside the box, which went into the bottom corner leaving Hanford rooted still after Port had cleared a long throw.

The strike was the quality the game had needed after both sides had cancelled the other out up to that point. Port ramped the pressure up and had several long throws cleared away in the box, a corner came in which sailed all the way through before Lees headed the following cross away.

The hosts had their best chance just before half time as Woods found Morgan inside the box but his dink over George Willis flashed past the far post. The Reds had done well to soak up the pressure since the opener but there wasn't too much danger for Alfreton to worry about as the first half ended.

The second half was again even in it's early stages, Adam Lund produced a cracking ball in but Clarke couldn't connect at the far post. Bradley then curled an effort just over the bar following a corner which was cleared back to him.

Willis intercepted Wood's low cross on the right after a dangerous run, before Woods had a neat one-two on the edge of the box but his shot went wide of the post.

Challoner blazed over the bar after Morgan set him up with an inside ball in the box. The introduction of Elliott Reeves gave us some pace up front, Reeves won the ball back inside the Southport half which saw Bobby play Bradley through on the right side of the box but the shot went wide of the far post.

Doyle then couldn't connect with a cross at the far post on 67, Woods saw his shot go way over the bar. The hosts continued to press, Bradley headed a corner away before Lund cleared the next corner.

Josh Clackstone blocked a shot from Woods inside the box, the Port winger then saw his shot take a touch as it went through the box and behind for yet another Southport corner. But the Reds held firm once again as Willis punched the corner away as the hosts frustrations grew along with the crowd at the resolute defence from Alfreton.

Connor Branson fired a shot over the bar before Reeves curled an effort over from a tight angle with 87 on the clock.

As we entered stoppage time, Port had a big chance as Willis produced a point blank save to deny Archer in the box after the ball ping ponged around inside the box and fell to the forward.

Then with 94 gone, just when the Reds had thought they had done enough and soaked up all the pressure from the hosts, Archer squeezed a finish into the bottom corner following a cross into the box.

It was a disappointing moment for the Reds who had looked solid, defended well and didn't look in too much danger in the game despite the Southport pressure throughout. However the hosts took that opening and on the basis of the second half, a draw was the fair result in the end.

Alfreton will now look to build on the point gained away from home which ended the losing run in the league, as we welcome Chorley to the Impact Arena next Saturday. Kick off is 3pm and will be live on ATFCTV.

ATFCXI: Willis, Clackstone, Atkinson, Branson, Lees, Lund, Smith, Bradley (c), Clarke (Reeves 57), Johnson, Walker (Fox 80).

Subs Not Used: Unwin-Marris, Tuton, Williams.

Attendance: Limited number of home fans were in attendance