Steve Burr's men were again a class above the opposition in registering their first away win of the season but, it has to be said, it was not always plain sailing as careless defending gifted Alfreton two unlikely goals.

Sporting their new yellow away shirts Vics ought to have fell behind in the second minute when a basic error from Payne let in Neil Ross but with only Rogers to beat he shot tamely straight at the keeper. Elliott blazed a shot high over the bar and Brayson and Carr produced efforts that failed to test the home keeper before Ross headed wide in a basically tame opening to the game. And so it was with some relief that Vics gained the initiative with the opening goal. Byrne produced a delightful pass on the volley to release BRAYSON and he steadied himself to squeeze a shot in between the keeper and his near post. The lead lasted just 4 minutes and Chapman failed to time his jump sufficiently to deal with a cross from the left allowing the ball to sail over his head and land invitingly for CLARKE at the far post to score with an accurate volley. Brayson ought to have retrieved the lead when he was set up directly in front of goal but he shot directly at Greg Smith and the same player again wasted an opportunity when Chapman got down the left to hit a low cross to his feet when well placed but he failed to connect properly. Vics did however regain the lead on the stroke of half time when Brayson had a shot from a corner blocked on the line and, although Mayman appeared to be pushed as he seems certain to follow up and convert, CARR was on hand to take over and score from close range.

At the start of the second half Roca replaced Byrne, who had been booked and involved in a couple of confrontations in the first 45.However, barely ten minutes after the restart a litany of errors conspired to allow Alfreton back into the game. Charnock made a hash of an intended back pass to allow Ross to win an "unearned" corner and from the kick a looping header from ROBINSON somehow found its way into the net between and over Rogers and Chapman on the goal line. The tireless Carr broke to find Elliott and his shot whistled centimetres wide with the keeper comprehensively beaten. Brayson was causing constant mayhem in a vulnerable home defence and he cleverly worked an opening for himself only to be denied by a save from Smith. A third goal looked almost inevitable and so it proved after Featherstone brought down Allan in the box when he was through on goal. Initially the referee, who was having a nightmare game, failed to react but awarded the penalty kick after the determined intervention of his assistant. The referee - Mr Stretton -then confounded all by only showing Featherstone a yellow despite him being the last defender who had clearly denied Allan a goal. Nevertheless BRAYSON made no mistake from the spot. With 8 minutes remaining Brayson again worked himself an opening and when his shot struck a defender's arm inside the box he was given the opportunity to complete his hat trick from the spot. But this time Smith completed the save. With the game about to enter stoppage time Brayson finally managed the feat although all credit must go to Roca. The former Carlisle winger broke to run half the length of the pitch beating three men in the process and then drew Smith only to see his shot hit the post leaving BRAYSON to score from the rebound. But for the upright Roca would have scored one of the finest goals by a Vics player for some considerable time.

As it was, Vics ran out worthy winners and although there were one or two defensive hiccups they look set to pose considerable problems of their own for virtually all the opposing defences in this competition.