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Belper Town lost their first game of the
season by the odd goal in five at the impressive South Kesteven Stadium.
Belper had the ball in the net inside the
first two minutes after Rushbury's shot came back off Mario Ziccardi;
Anthony Wilson dived in bravely to put the ball over the line, however
the referee wouldn't allow it as he had seen an earlier infringement.
But the Nailers struck the first goal on 11
minutes when Lee Stevenson's perfectly measured pass over the Grantham
defence fell short of Ziccardi and Wilson nipped in to side step the
'keeper and put the ball into the net.
On 18 minutes the Nailers had a solid shout
for a penalty when Wilson appeared to be tripped when running through,
but seconds after the referee had dismissed appeals the Gingerbreads were
level.
The initial shot came in from Sean Cann but
the ball rebounded kindly to Sam Wilkinson who drove the ball under
Tollerfield.
Wilson nearly created a second goal for the
Nailers with a powerful run into the box, but despite getting his shot
away Ziccardi unwittingly saved the effort but Toronzcak couldn't put
away the rebound.
Belper found themselves behind in the 42nd
minute again, after they looked to have been harshly done by when Wilkins
appeared to handle inside the box as Toronzcak tried to push the ball
past the defender, but seconds later Tollerfield was picking the ball out
of the net.
The Nailers were caught ball watching in the
48th minute when Jon Hawley whipped a cross into the six yard area where
Wilkinson flicked the ball in unchallenged, raising questions about
Belper's lack of marking and Tollerfield's decision to stay on his line.
Belper began to go forward a little more
positively in the latter stages and Gummer's neat piece of skill on the
by-line saw him cut the ball back to Toronczak, but Ziccardi pushed the
Belper striker’s shot around the post at full stretch.
The Nailers gave themselves hope of retrieving
something from the game in the 85th minute when the Gingerbread's defence
was carved open with remarkable ease and Lee Stevenson converted Michael
Harcourt's slide rule cross.
Grantham always seemed to have a little more
in reserve than Belper and despite two good penalty claims the final
result was perhaps not unjust.
Tim
Harrison’s Photo Gallery
Nigel Oldrini
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