Alfreton Town kick-off the 2010/11 season hoping it will be third time lucky in their quest to reach the top level of non-League football.
It is just fourteen weeks ago since the Reds unluckily lost 2-1 in the 2009/10 play-off final at Fleetwood Town.
That achievement came on the back of losing in the 2008/09 play off semi finals, the Reds finishing in third place both times.
However, any fears of a hangover from the Fleetwood defeat look to have been very quickly dispelled as Nicky Law’s squad have put in some excellent pre-season performances.
Notable results were a 1-1 draw with Chesterfield and victories over Luton Town (3-0) and Rotherham United (2-0). The only defeat was 3-1 at home to a very strong Mansfield Town side in a game that could have gone either way last Saturday.
Alfreton start the new campaign with a home game against Hinckley United this Saturday and follow up with away games at Redditch United next Tuesday and Hyde FC on Saturday, August 21st.
Assistant-manager Russ O’Neill is expecting a tough opening encounter. He said: “It will be a hard game. They have had a lot of changes but Dean Thomas has brought in some good young lads down there and they have had some very good results in pre-season.”
Indeed, caution should be erred for the opener as the Reds have only beat Hinckley once in twelve Conference North fixtures.
However, that was in the final league game of last season when a 3-2 Reds home win also stopped the Leicestershire side from finishing in a play-off spot.
For the opening fixture, manager Law will be without striker Anthony Wilson, who serves a one-game suspension carried over from last season but he does have both other summer signings, Darren Stride and Nathan Arnold fit and raring to go.
The trip to Redditch next Tuesday will give the players the chance to avenge a 3-0 humbling after a horror trip and display just twelve days short of a year ago in the corresponding fixture.
