Written by Lisa Towerzey for Alfreton Town FC

Reds stretch unbeaten run with another clean sheet.

Alfreton Town returned from Lancashire with a hard-earned point following their 0-0 draw with Chorley on Saturday (January 14).

It was a fourth consecutive clean sheet, a feat not achieved by the Reds since the 2014/15 season, and it was also their sixth unbeaten game on the bounce.

Alfreton’s clearest chances came in the first half, with home keeper Matt Urwin pulling off impressive saves to deny Jordan Thewlis and Bailey Hobson, whilst Chorley created their own chances without bothering George Willis with their lack of accuracy in front of goal.

A busy opening ten minutes saw Thewlis denied by Urwin with a rasping drive before both Billy Whitehouse and Adam Blakeman failed to capitalise on good openings at the other end.

At the midway point of the first half Hobson had a shot blocked following an inspired Reds’ spell, only to see his superbly hit volley from the loose ball somehow saved at full stretch.

An angled drive by Whitehouse was gathered at his near post by Willis, then in response an Adam Lund throw led initially to an inventive overhead kick from Matt Rhead and a blistering follow-up from Lund that whistled centimetres over the angle of the framework.

Dayle Southwell sent a free-kick into the side-netting as the Reds went in to the interval on top, but after the break the visitors just could not force Chorley on the back foot again.

In fact the closest Alfreton came to scoring was not until the 83rd minute when Danny Preston fired a cross into the box that fell between Thewlis and Tom Denton.

Meanwhile Chorley pressed forward, only to be repelled by some resilient defending that included crucial saves from Whitehouse and Jon Ustabasi.