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At long last Belper Town won their first
league game of the season by comfortably defeating basement club Spalding
United at The Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field in deepest Lincolnshire.
Belper Town traveled to Spalding United
knowing that a victory was essential if they were to kick-start their
season after six league games without a victory.
Joint managers Andy Carney and Danny
Hudson selected an unchanged side from the one that enjoyed success in
the FA Cup the previous weekend.
Jon Hobson declared himself fit to play
despite having had fourteen stitches in a cut lip.
The Tulips had former Nailers’
midfielder Chris Davies in their line up and they were looking to add to
their single point gained from six outings.
An in swinging free kick from Danny
Hargreaves was met by a solid headed clearance from Jon Hobson in the 2nd
minute, but with the Nailers first attack of the game Lee Stevenson sent
a powerful header just over the bar after Anthony Wilson got a great
cross over from the right.
Nathan Benger controlled the ball well
inside the penalty area in the 6th minute and managed to get
in a well-struck volley, but it flew just past the angle at the far post.
Wilson turned inside Dominic Revill
after receiving Ross Hannah’s cross in the 14th minute, but
fired over the bar from the edge of the area.
Gary Middleton conceded a free kick in a
dangerous position on 16 minutes but he was able to make amends by
diverting Hargreaves dead ball kick around the post.
Chris Davies collected a stray clearance
from a corner on 20 minutes and Mick Clark had to be alert to stop his
perfectly timed volley.
James Colliver nearly claimed his first
goal for the Nailers with a looping cross shot that needed Doughtey’s
touch to send the ball on to the top of the cross bar.
Wilson ended a good Belper move with a snap
shot from the edge of the area that went a yard wide, then a Stevenson
corner kick was met by Hobson and he would be disappointed not to hit the
target.
Spalding forced a number of corners late
in the first half and from one of these defender Danny George headed just
wide.
It was a much better second period for
Belper but they were indebted to Mick Clark for a fine save from Davies’
49th minute free following an unnecessary free kick conceded
by Jon Hobson.
Danny Toronczak made space for a shot on
54 minutes but his shot went straight to Doughty, but the Nailers began
to put pressure on the Tulips and accurate man-to-man passing proved to
be the key.
The breakthrough came on 61 minutes when
the Nailers kept the ball inside the Spalding penalty area and substitute
Mark Smith drilled the ball in off the post to give Belper the lead.
Dennis Rhule nearly hit back
straightaway with a powerful header from a 66th minute corner
kick, but Belper gave themselves breathing space in the 70th
minute when the constructed a fine second goal.
Pete Smith had just forced the Spalding
‘keeper into a great reaction save when Andy Rushbury slipped the ball to
Ross Hannah who, after taking it towards the by-line pulled it back
perfectly for Mark Smith to side foot his second goal of the afternoon.
Belper had complete control of the game
after this and it was quite obvious how the home side had made such a
dismal start to the season.
Rushbury almost added a third after Lee
Stevenson’s neatly taken free kick on 32 minutes set him free on the
left, but his driven shot flew past the far post.
The Tulips had a late resurgence in the
last five minutes but the Nailers had done enough to claim their first
maximum points of the season.
Tim
Harrison’s Photo Gallery
Nigel Oldrini
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