Written by Lisa Towerzey

Reds fall to defeat to new league leaders.

It was a miserable night for Alfreton Town when Darlington secured top spot in the National League North on goal difference on Tuesday (November 8) night.

The Reds were slow out of the blocks and should have been behind inside the opening 15 seconds, but Jacob Hazel skewed the ball into the side-netting after side-stepping keeper George Willis.

Dayle Southwell recorded Alfreton’s solitary shot on target in the first half on four minutes but his effort from the edge of the area was comfortably held by home keeper Tommy Taylor.

Mark Beck and Jack Lambert went close as the Quakers pushed forward relentlessly, former Red Joe Leesley breaking the deadlock on 23 minutes when he rifled home from a Lambert crossfield pass.

Just two minutes later a bizarre clearance by Willis went straight to the unmarked Hazel, who simply was not going to miss another golden opportunity.

Two goals adrift Alfreton simply could not break out of defence, with Hazel and Alex Purver both going close as half-time approached.

It was a much different game after the break though with Matt Rhead heading against the underside of the crossbar from one of a handful of corners before Blackwell Meadows was plunged into darkness by floodlight failure in the 51st minute.

Sixteen minutes of fumbling around in the dark and the lights were gradually restored one by one to incremental jeers from the fans, but the Reds were unperturbed and Southwell forced Taylor to turn the ball behind for another corner.

Finally Alfreton were rewarded when Ahmed Salam let rip from outside the area and the ball nestled in the net after taking a hefty deflection off a Darlington defender with 21 minutes remaining.

Four minutes from time though the hosts added a third goal from what was a rare second half attack after their earlier performance, Kaine Felix finding the net with a weak shot that squirmed through Willis’ legs and trickled over the line.

NEXT MATCH: Alfreton Town v Bradford (Park Avenue)