Alfreton Town pegged back by Corby Town

Todd Jordan had given the Reds a 19th minute lead with his first goal for the club, but Corby battled relentlessly in a more evenly contested second half and snatched an equaliser seconds into added time.

Despite being held to a draw Alfreton extended their unbeaten run since Christmas to 12 League and Cup games, but could not disguise their disappointment at the final whistle.

Fielding an unchanged side from the victory at FC United of Manchester seven days earlier the Reds pressed for an early advantage in blustery, damp conditions with both Dan Bradley and Sam Jones having shots blocked from Joe Leesley’s eighth minute free-kick.

Bradley then smashed the ball against the crossbar from all of 30 yards with 15 minutes elapsed, but Alfreton were rewarded just four minutes later when Jordan’s header from a Leesley corner found the net through a crowded six-yard box.

Corby skipper Cleveland Taylor twice went close for the visitors before Jamie Jackson hammered the ball inches wide following a scramble from another corner, the first half concluding with a weak Jones header at one end and a stretching save by Matt Duke at the other to repel Taylor’s firmly struck free-kick.

Both Lindon Meikle and Jackson saw efforts go close within moments of the restart, then on 53 minutes Cecil Nyoni played Jackson through for a shot that was blocked.

There was a let-off for Alfreton two minutes later when Greg Mills played Nathan Evans through, Tom Allan almost scooping the ball into his own net, but Jordan was on hand to hack clear.

Jones then dragged a good chance wide from Meikle’s pinpoint pass, Corby keeper Sam Donkin then blocking a Jones effort at the near post from Bradley’s 66th minute through-ball.

Jackson then set up Jones for a powerful shot again stopped by Donkin, but Ryan Robbins then fired across the face of the goal for the Steelmen.

On a day when chances were squandered it was perhaps ironic that the equaliser stemmed from a flowing Alfreton move in which Jones was ultimately dispossessed, a swift break involving Taylor culminating with Ben Milnes firing past Duke from 12 yards.

ALFRETON: Duke; Moyo, Jordan, Heaton, Allan, Nyoni, Meikle,Bradley, Leesley, Jones, Jackson (Thanoj 78).

Subs not used: Robertson, Smith, Doyle-Charles.

ATTENDANCE: 573.