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It was back to the
drawing board for joint managers Andy Carney and Danny Hudson after this
disappointing defeat against Sheffield FC.
It was always going to be
a tough assignment against the Northern Counties East newcomers but
despite long spells of good football from the Nailers it was
the South Yorkshire outfit
that emerged easy winners.
Belper Town made two
changes from the side that drew at Gresley in the previous game with new
signing James Colliver making his debut at right back, while Michael
Harcourt replaced Pete Smith on the right of midfield.
Sheffield had made a good
start to life in the UniBond League and lay 4th in the table after five
games.
Mickey Harcourt put a
first minute header just past the post but the Nailers suffered a
nightmare start to the game by going 2-0 inside the opening five minutes.
An error from Danny
Hudson in the 4th minute put Robert Ward in possession with just
Adam Ogden to beat and he made sure with crisp shot into
the net.
Then moments after
the restart the Belper defence was caught cold again and Peter Davey
struck a looping shot over everyone into the top of the net.
Belper took time to
recover from the shock but began to play their way back into the game.
Lee Stevenson blasted a
10th minute free kick just wide of the angle, then Mark Smith crossed for
Danny Toronzcak on 16 minutes but Belper's leading scorer headed wide of
the target.
Sheffield defender Karl
Colley went close with an angled hook shot a minute later, but Mark Smith
provided another good heading opportunity for Toronzcak on 23 minutes but
he couldn't make contact with the ball.
Danny Hudson tried to
shoot from the edge of the area on 37 minutes but Aaron Jameson got down
easily to save but the Nailers were pressing the visitors back in the
latter stages of the half, and forcing errors.
Hudson was on the end of
another good move just before half time but couldn't get power in his
shot on the turn.
The Nailers had it all to
do in the second half but they could have gone further behind when Peter
Davey prodded the ball goal wards and it was the outstretched leg of
Ogden that prevented a goal.
Vill Powell had a 52nd minute shot fly just over
the cross bar, but the Nailers came closest to a goal in the 57th minute
than they had all night.
It began with a Toronzcak
flick on and a clearance that flew back into the six yard area off Mark
Smith.
Ross Hannah headed the
ball towards goal and Karl Colley’s clearance hit the post and out of
play.
From the corner kick
Hobson's header appeared to be deflected over the bar by Toronzcak.
But the game began to
slip away from Belper when Sheffield stepped up a gear and hit a third
when Vill Powell stabbed
the ball home from six yards.
Ross Hannah got a good effort on target on 70
minutes, but despite Belper's continuing efforts to play good football
they found the visitors more and more difficult to contain and substitute
Leon Wainman compounded the Nailers' misery by heading in a far post
cross on 77 minutes.
A consolation came
Belper's way in the last minute when Ross Hannah blasted a close range
shot past Jameson, but even considering the strength and financial muscle
of visitors, this was a shattering home reverse for Belper.
Tim
Harrison’s Photo Gallery
Nigel Oldrini
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