NORTH: Alfreton Town 4 Runcorn FC Halton 0

Peter Duffield's nine-minute hat-trick at the start of the second half gave Alfreton Town their first win over Runcorn at the eighth attempt at the Impact Arena last Friday night.

Duffield's triple, followed by Mick Godber's goal midway through the second half, set the seal on a display which reflected Reds' place at the top of the league. And the Friday night experiment was witnessed by a crowd of 446, fairly encouraging given that the visitors' travelling support was miniscule.

Alfreton dominated the first half, but without creating a worthwhile chance, before the second period burst into life in spectacular style with the first of Duffield's trio just 15 seconds in. 'We really looked like a top of the table side in the second half,' commented Reds' assistant boss Charlie Williamson. 'That was as good as football at this level gets. 'But we were a little disappointed by the way we played in the first half - the game needed a spark, and we always felt that if we could create a chance, then with the quality of Duffield and Godber we could score. 'And straight from the kick-off that's what happened. We deserved it, and some of the quality of our passing after half time was outstanding.'

Maybe the assistant boss was a little harsh with his assessment of the first half which, despite the Reds' dominance, saw Runcorn create the best scoring chance before the break. But he and manager Dave Lloyd know what enormously high standards they demand from the side, and it was not until after the interval that those standards were reproduced.

Even so, those visiting the ground after any length of absence cannot fail to have been impressed by what they saw. It was clear, even in the first 45 minutes, that Alfreton had too much quality for their visitors, and although Runcorn should have taken the lead in the 34th minute, Lee Butler in the home goal was never unduly extended throughout the 90 minutes.

Full backs Ian Robinson and Ben Chambers were outstanding - on any other day Robinson would have been man of the match, but on this occasion he was eclipsed by Duffield's record of scored three, created one, which is very difficult to argue against when the accolades are being given out.

Matt Fisher and Mitch Ward, until his 59th-minute replacement with a hamstring pull, were at the centre of all the Reds' attractive passing moves, and once Godber and Duffield got the sniff of a goal chance they were deadly. That brief assessment unfairly leaves out the rest in what was essentially a great team showing.

Emeka Nwadike and Fisher both went close in the early stages as Alfreton buzzed purposefully, before Runcorn came more into the picture for a while. And from their best move of the match, when Fisher lost possession for the only time all evening, Lee Parle got to the left by-line, only to see his pull-back swept wide by Kieran Durkan.

The game exploded right from the first whistle of the second half. Chapman launched a move helped on by Ward, and as Peter Ellis tried to head the ball back to his keeper Tony McMillan, Duffield nipped smartly in, stole it, and slotted Alfreton into the lead. Within seconds Godber could not quite get onto the end of Ward's curling free kick at the far post, but with the half still less than two minutes old Duffield doubled his and Alfreton's tally. Robinson played a neat interchange with the lively Chris Bettney before laying the ball infield to Duffield, who lashed a rising drive in off the underside of the bar.

Matty McGinn almost pulled one back immediately for Runcorn, his curling free kick from the right evading everyone and going just past the far post. But Alfreton were now rampant, and Duffield completed his hat-trick in the 54th minute. Bettney was the architect with a mazy run which left three defenders in his wake, and slipped the ball for the predatory striker to drill left-footed low past McMillan from some 25 yards.

Just before the hour Ward was withdrawn as a precautionary measure after feeling a hamstring tweak, but the Reds, with John Knapper continuing the ex-Premiership man's fine work, delighted the home fans with some of the best passing football one is likely to see at non-league level.