Report from alfretontownfc.com
Alfreton Town continued their pre-season build-up by recording a huge 14-0 victory over a youthful Sheffield Wednesday side. The visitors found themselves overwhelmed by the power, pace and finishing ability of the Reds which produced a hat-trick of hat-tricks with Nathan Arnold, Nathan Jarman and Paul Clayton all hitting trebles and Josh Law notched a brace.
The first goal came just one minute and 50 seconds into the game with Wednesday keeper Sean Cuff pushing a Josh Law cross from the right into his own net. Law doubled the lead on six minutes when his low goalbound shot from the right was helped in by Emmanuel Dieseruvwe. The prominent Nathan Jarman fed Chris Senior on 13 minutes but his driven 15 yarder hit the inside of Cuff's left-hand post and flew across goal before being cleared.
Cuff produced a fine block to keep out a Levi Mackin shot on 18 minutes, the follow up seeing Nathan Arnold's shot deflected for a corner. Alfreton attacked almost at will and another right flank move involving Jarman and Paul Clayton ended with Senior firing wide. Senior got clear of the visiting defence on 21 minutes and squared for Nathan Arnold who swept home the third from ten yards out. Two minute later it was 4-0 as Arnold glanced home a six-yard header into the far corner to finish a Law cross.
The young Owls gamely fought back and they produced their first shot of the game on 24 minutes, Hayden White firing yards over from just inside the penalty area and four minutes later the visitors won their first corner but Greg Young easily headed clear. The fifth goal came on 32 minutes with Senior - who had been felled by Dieseruvwe - netting a close range header to finish the free kick from Arnold. Cuff produced a good stop to keep out a shot from Theo Streete who had been sent clear down the middle by Senior.
The visiting keeper could do nothing about the sixth goal on 38 minutes though, Arnold rifling in his hat-trick goal with ease after Cuff had blocked Jarman's shot from a Mackin cross. Two minutes later it was 7-0 as another Law cross picked out Nathan Jarman to head home at the far post. And Jarman was on target again three minutes later as he smashed the ball past an unprotected visiting keeper after being sent through by Mackin. Just before the interval whistle, the impressive Paul Clayton got his rewards when he met a Jarman corner and flicked home a neat header from very close range for the ninth goal
Wednesday made three changes at half-time but the first chance fell to Clayton who couldn't quite connect with an overhead kick from a Senior cross from the right as Alfreton picked up where they had left off with more flowing football.
Cuff produced a fine save as he went full length to keep out a glancing header from Clayton on 54 minutes but from the flag kick, Clayton wasn't to be denied and he made it double figures with a thumping header from Law's delivery.
The first of numerous changes for the Reds began on 56 minutes but the one-way traffic continued and it took a tremendous goalline clearance from Nick Hague under pressure from Jake Moult to keep out another goal. It became 11-0 on the hour though as Jarman firmly headed in Moult's corner but just two minutes later, Wednesday spurned a great chance to get on the scoresheet when Jarrod Kyle set up Wale Ayuoola but he shot wide from ten yards out.
Alfreton responded with a twelfth goal on 63 minutes, Jordan Hall smacking in a lovely 16 yard angled volley which flew into the far side of the net. Wednesday enjoyed their best spell of possession of the game but could not find a way through the home defence and after Adie Hawes had been treated for an elbow injury incurred while clearing a Wednesday raid, the Reds wrapped the game up with two more goals.
Paul Clayton stroked home his hat-trick goal on 80 minutes from the penalty spot after Cecil Nyoni had halted Connor Franklin's run into the area with a rash challenge. Jake Moult spurned a trio of chances before Josh Law ended the rout with a sublime goal from the edge of the penalty area as he curled the ball beautifully into the far top corner.