Harrogate Town got back to winning ways with a rare victory at the Impact Arena, Alfreton.
The first attempt on goal came from the Reds when Brendon Daniels collected a through ball from Brody Robertson but drove into the safe arms of James Belshaw.
For the second game running Town were awarded an early penalty when a mazy run by Jack Emmett was ended when he was brought down inside the area.
This time, Joe Leesley made no mistake, when he lashed the spot kick past Chris Elliott in the Reds goal.
Four minutes later,things got even better for the visitors after a Ben O’Hanlon run down the left sliced open the home defence and Emmett applied the finishing touch to his low cross.
A foul by Ryan Fallowfield on ex Townie, Daniels, presented the Reds with a free kick which Ryan Jennings skied over the top.
Half way through the half, Leesley found his way into Referee Barrott’s book,which was to have unfortunate consequences after the break.
However,minutes later, Leesley almost stretched Town’s lead when his cross shot rebounded of Alfreton’s bar.
Alfreton began to test the Town defence with a series of crosses into the box; Tom Platt and Kegan Etherington
both went close with headers,before the pressure told off.
On thirtyfive minutes Town’s vulnerability against set pieces was exposed when Tom Allan rose highest at the far post to head home a Daniels free kick from the right,after he had been brought down by Warren Burrell.
Undaunted, Harrogate hit back to finish the half on the offensive.
Allen was forced to head an O’Hanlon centre over his own bar which led to a goalmouth scramble that the Reds were lucky to survive, before a clever chip from Liam Agnew played in Ryan Fallowfield,but he was denied by a last ditch block from Elliott.
Leesley’s last meaningful action in the match was a shot over the Red’s bar,because after four minutes of the second half he was dismissed for a second bookable offence.
Alfreton began to take the game to Town’s ten men.
Belshaw saved well from from Daniels and Allan, and when sub,Craig Westcarr, rounded the keeper,Terry Kennedy was on hand to clear off the line.
Even so,Town looked dangerous on the break and Andrew Nelson drove into the side netting when he picked up Kennedy’s long clearance.
Town survived a confident appeal for a penalty before sub,Mitchell Curry,relieved the pressure when his shot from Josh Falkingham’s pass flashed across the home goal.
With three minutes left,Alfreton were awarded a free kick twentyfive yards from goal,prime distance for a Daniels special,
but Belshaw pulled off a brilliant save to tip the free kick over the bar.
Town easily played out the four minutes stoppage time to maintain their place at the top of the table.
Town
Belshaw,Fallowfield,O’Hanlon,Falkingham (c),Kennedy,Burrell,Thomson,Emmett,Nelson (Curry 59),Agnew,Leesley.
Unused subs,Vann,Cracknell,Thewlis,Middleton. Sent off Leesley. Bookings Belshaw,O’Hanlon,Thomson,
Scorers,Leesley 3 pen,Emmett 7.
Alfreton
Elliott,Topliss,Wood,Platt,Shiels (c),Allan,Jennings(Johnson 67),Etherington(Westcarr 61),Robertson,Daniels,Keane.
Unused subs,Disley,Evans,Hinchley Bookings Wood,Keane Att.569
Scorer Allan 35 Referee Samuel Barrott
By John Harrison.
