TWO CONTROVERSIAL decisions helped Alfreton Town on their way to a 3-1 win over Hereford and consign the Bulls to their first defeat in six games.
Jordan Thewlis converted two penalties for the home side after Alex Babos had given Hereford the lead before Jake Day slotted home to secure all three points for Alfreton.
The first chance of the match fell to Hereford’s Koby Arthur who, after escaping his marker, saw his effort deflect wide of the goal seven minutes in.
Adam Rooney then found space on the edge of the box to fire a shot off in the 28th minute, his effort taking a deflection before ending up in the arms of goalkeeper George Willis.
Arguably the best chance during a tight first half fell to Day in the 39th minute. A swift break from the hosts saw Liam Waldock find Day inside the box but he could only fire wide.
Hereford opened the scoring nine minutes into the second half after a line-breaking run from Jordan Lyden saw the midfielder find Babos who slotted past Willis from a tight angle to make it 0-1.
Alfreton found a way back into the game after Aurio Teixeira was deemed to have brought down Thewlis inside the box, who stepped up to convert the spot kick with 27 minutes to go.
The home side took a controversial lead on 72 minutes when Dylan Motley-Henry went down softly inside the box, allowing Thewlis to step up and convert from the spot once more.
Babos was close to finding an equaliser for the Bulls in the 83rd minute when his free-kick forced Willis into a fine save down low to his right to preserve Alfreton’s lead.
Lyden had to be replaced after sustaining an injury to his thigh with Ethan Freemantle coming on in his place with five minutes to go.
The Reds would wrap the game in the 89th minute when Day, deemed not to be in offside position by the linesman, ran through on goal and finished past Curtis Pond to make it 3-1.
Hereford: Pond, Skinner, Livingstone, Teixeira (Tolley 78), Lyden (Freemantle 85), Ceesay, Babos, Rooney, Arthur (Stanley 70), Cameron, Howkins
Unused Subs: Cranston, Southern
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