Alfreton Town 0-0 Notts County

Last updated : 27 July 2012 By Jacob Daniel

ALFRETON TOWN 0-0 NOTTS COUNTY

Notts First Half Team - Bialkowski, Regan, Smith, Hollis, Johnson, Mahon, Labadie, Arquin, J. Hughes, Plazimir, L. Hughes

Notts Second Half Team - Bialkowski, Kelly, Leacock, Bencherif, Sheehan, Boucaud, Bishop, Liddle, Judge, Fuentes, Showunmi

Pre-season, to me, still remains as something of a mystery. I can't quite decide whether it's a pointless waste of time (for us as fans, anyway) or a welcome relief from a summer of having to watch either England or some pole vaulting. Wednesday evening's trip to Alfreton epitomised this conflict, with the aesthetically pleasing football Notts played being tempered by the feeling that the whole thing was just a little bit tedious. Obviously I can't blame anyone - Curle made it clear that he was going to play a different side in each half and you can't accuse Alfreton of taking it lightly, judging by Nicky Law's borderline psychotic touchline shouting, but even now i'm not sure whether it was an enjoyable experience or not.

The Impact Arena is a strange ground, looking like it's been cobbled together bit by bit with no consideration of continuity - their rise through the division's seems to have led to things like the rag-tag bolting of seats onto an open terrace, with the lack of leg room making it just about uninhabitable. The main stand is even weirder, seating just about no one and requiring a compass to navigate through to reach the sort-of covered terrace at the other end. That said, with a balmy Derbyshire evening coming to a close, it was certainly a pleasant evening to watch a spot of football, even with nothing at stake.

Notts' first half side seemed to be closer to a reserve one, with Bartosz Bialkowski, Jeff Hughes and Manny Smith the only three who you'd expect to be in a first choice eleven if it was picked here and now. There were appearances from trialists Carl Regan, Leonard Johnson and Bahamian Plazimir, whilst Lee Hughes started upfront despite ongoing speculation about his future at the club. Indeed, it seemed as though Hughes had taken to the field with a point to prove as he dominate the opening exchanges with a number of decent efforts. Firstly Joss Labadie, scampering around midfield like sugar-filled kid, won the ball and played it to Jeff Hughes, whose through ball was dragged just wide of the far post by his namesake. Hughes then flicked over a low cross by Plazimir, who showed some neat touches in his forty five minute display.

Hughes thought he should've had a penalty when challenged in the box on nineteen minutes, but it was a fine tackle by the Alfreton defender who won the ball cleanly as Hughes was about to finish. Not that he was deterred, forcing two cracking saves out of the Alfreton 'keeper in quick succession. Then after being caught by the studs of an Alfreton midfield in a full-blooded fifty fifty, Hughes limped off although he did return just after half time. This allowed some of the limelight to fall on Yoann Arquin, who missed two excellent chances - heading wide from a Johnson cross and then blazing a one-on-one high over the bar. Which just about wrapped up a fairly unexciting first half.

With wholesale changes at the break and more of a first team feel to things, Notts did improve and passed the ball around the pitch with confidence - the imperious Judge being at the heart of things. New signing Gary Liddle also impressed alongside Neal Bishop in a deep midfield role. Judge set up the first chance - his fine cross headed over by Enoch Showunmi, whilst Julian Kelly, constantly offering himself down the right flank, shot just wide. French trialist Enzo Fuentes was involved in much of the play, but really flattered to deceive, taking too long to think about things and often choosing the wrong option and losing possession. The other trialist, Luton Town midfielder Andre Boucaud, was less clumsy in possession and moved the ball around well although i'm not entirely sure why we need to be considering any more deep lying central midfield players.

Neal Bishop dragged a shot just wide from outside the box, before Alfreton had their best and only really dangerous effort of the match - a ferocious twenty five yard free kick that was parried away well by Bialkowski. Boucaud curled wide with the final effort, leaving Notts with another pre-season draw against inferior opposition. The second half display of passing was certainly encouraging though, and Notts did create enough to have won the game comfortably against a limited but dogged and well organised Alfreton side. The one noticeable performer was Hughes in the first half an hour, however, showing an ability to find space and test the opposition goalkeeper that no other Notts player really offered in the match. New forward Arquin and Showunmi both did okay and showed some neat touches - the latter in particular is deceptively quick and reasonably at linking play - but at no point did I think there was a real danger that either of them might actually score. You do get the sense that we're getting there, however.