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Belper Town brought all three points
back to England after an effective smash and grab raid over the border in
North Wales.
The Nailers made the first of their two
scheduled visits to Llanelian Road and had to contend with the absence of
key striker Ross Hannah who was serving a one game suspension.
Danny Hudson was available again and he
came in for Pete Smith who suffered a knee injury against Shepshed in
midweek and didn’t make the journey to north Wales.
Michael Harcourt made his return to the
first team squad after a lengthy injury period and was included amongst
the substitutes.
Belper were looking to erase the memory
of a midweek defeat at the hands of Shepshed Dynamo and attempt to clinch
just their third win of the campaign.
After a good start to the season Bay had
only won once in the last seven outings and no doubt saw this game as a
potential three pointer.
Danny Hudson’s 2nd minute
cross found Anthony Wilson but a Bay defender closed him down before he
could get his shot in.
Anthony Murt combined well with Paul
Williams but the linesman flag saved the Nailers from a potentially
awkward situation.
The Nailers were fortunate in the 10th
minute after Andy Rushbury gave away a needless foul and Martin Crowder’s
free kick was glanced on by Paul Williams but although the ball hit the
underside of the cross bar, the referee judged that the ball hadn’t
crossed the line.
Crowder should have done better in the
13th minute when he put the ball wide when it looked easier to
score, then Anthony Murt ran through unchallenged and scooped the ball
over the top.
Hudson hit a great shot just over the
cross bar after turning well on the corner of the six yard area, but the
Nailers were riding their luck when Murt headed another good opportunity
wide on 18 minutes.
Williams broke away on the left and
found Neil Black but he could only send the ball high over the cross bar.
The Nailers finally conceded the goal
that had been on the cards for some time in the 27th minute
when Neil Black nodded Williams cross just inside the far post leaving
Adam Ogden motionless.
Hudson’s free kick fell short in the 39th
minute which was disappointing because the Nailers had found little
opportunity to get the ball in the penalty area.
However Belper’s equalizer came out of
the blue in the 41st minute when Anthony Wilson met Hudson’s
cross with a spectacular scissor kick and put the ball beyond the
‘keeper.
Belper went close to taking the lead moments
later when Toronzcak’s thoughtful ball into Krystof Kotylo produced a
great shot with Jamie Speare equaling it with a spectacular save.
Belper had the wind behind them in the
second half and soon made use of it when a long clearance was nodded on
by Toronzcak, but the Bay ‘keeper came out quickly to deny him the
opportunity.
Rushbury got across to make a good
tackle just as Murt was going to shoot but from the resulting corner kick
Black had a free header that went straight to Ogden.
Krystof Kotylo got into a good position
in the 56th minute but couldn’t get the ball past Speare, then
Lee Stevenson hit a fierce shot that the ‘keeper needed two attempts at
saving before he got the ball under control.
James Colliver nearly saw his swerving
cross shot creep in at the far post but an outstretched leg of a Bay
defender touched the ball around the post.
The Nailers were putting pressure on the
Welsh side now and in the 74th minute Wilson looked to have
created himself a shooting opportunity after a swift break from
Toronzcak, but his shot hit a covering Bay defender.
Wilson showed his strength and
determination once again in the 79th minute. This time it was
Kotylo who released him and after forcing his way into the danger area he
put his shot over the cross bar.
However Belper’s pressure finally reaped
rewards when in the 84th minute Jon Hobson met a Rushbury
corner kick and the ball was adjudged to have gone over the line before a
defender hacked it clear.
There was no doubt in the official’s
minds about the legality of the goal, but the protests from Colwyn Bay
were still being heard when the players left the field.
Belper had one more anxious moment to
endure in the 87th minute when Martin Crowder sent his free
kick narrowly over the bar, but the Nailers played out the rest of the
game very comfortably and can be very satisfied with their performance in
victory.
Nigel Oldrini
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