Sam keeps Quakers at bay to earn Reds share of the spoils

ALFRETON Town had goalkeeper Sam Ramsbottom to thank for a Vanarama National League North point from a goalless draw with Darlington at the Impact Arena.

Ramsbottom kept the Quakers at bay with a string of crucial saves in the second half, making it three draws in a row for the Reds to start the new year.

But it was the home side who had the better of the first half and they had the chance to break through after only eight minutes from a free kick.

Richard Peniket earned the opportunity, cutting in from the left and turning inside his man before being brought down just outside the box. Jordan Sinnott took the free kick but it was cleared.

A cross from Dominic Smith, on his debut, found an unmarked Peniket after 18 minutes but his header was too close to goalkeeper Jonny Maddison.

There was another good opening five minutes later as Tom Platt missed his kick in the box from a Tom Allan flicked header.

Another Sinnott free kick was beaten out by Maddison and, shortly before half-time, Peniket’s flick from a Reece Styche cross rolled just wide of the far post.

Alfreton will have felt they should have taken a lead into the break but the first opportunity of the second half went to Darlington, as Stephen Thompson was put through and dinked his shot over Ramsbottom but saw the ball go just wide.

The Reds keeper dealt comfortably with shots from outside the box but he was really tested after 75 minutes, rushing out to block a good opening for Harvey Saunders.

Platt put a shot wide for Alfreton but Ramsbottom was soon called on again, stopping a shot with his knees after Thompson had beaten off a challenge from Martin Riley.

The Quakers almost pinched the win in added time as Jordan Nicholson curled an effort just wide from the edge of the box but Alfreton held on for a point.