|
Belper
Town have quite a good record in reaching Derbyshire Senior Cup finals,
this is their third in 9 years, but you have to go back nearly 30 years
since the Nailers brought the trophy back to Christchurch Meadow.
Super
sub Pete Smith’s brace of goals inside the final 10 minutes of this
absorbing game handed Belper the opportunity to bring cup success back to
the club once again.
It
was a tough cup-tie and only by sticking at it until the final whistle
did Belper earn the right to be finalists.
Glapwell
had taken the scalps of Matlock Town and Ilkeston en route to the semis
and were sitting in second place in the Northern Counties East League
Premier Division with only three defeats to their name all season.
The
Nailers were boosted by the return of Anthony Wilson and Adam Ogden from
suspension and Krystof Kotylo was fit enough to be named amongst the
substitutes.
So
it was a full strength side that lined up against Glapwell who had former
Nailers Aaron Brady and Michael Fox in their starting eleven.
Fast
and furious best described the action for virtually all the 90 plus
minutes and although Belper might have edged it on possession, the home
team had the better of the opportunities.
Lee
Stevenson warmed Glapwell ‘keeper Neil West’s hands with a crisp effort
in the 3rd minute, but the home team suffered a blow barely 9
minutes into the game when striker Aaron Brady had to be carried from the
field with a suspected broken ankle.
Belper
continued their lively opening to the game and Richard Haigh put a 12th
minute header over the cross bar from close range and then Danny Hudson
sent a low volley zipping just wide.
But
Glapwell had their best chance of the first half when Michael Fox escaped
the attentions of the otherwise excellent Jon Hobson and Scott Lowe and
tried to lob Adam Ogden who was racing out.
Fox
could only watch in anguish as the ball rolled quickly downhill and past
the post and gave the Nailers a huge let off.
Lee
Stevenson appeared to felled unceremoniously inside the penalty area
minutes later but the referee was singularly unimpressed, and then
Michael Harcourt struck a tremendous effort destined for the top corner
but West tipped the ball onto the crossbar and away to safety.
Belper
rode their luck again on 35 minutes when Ian Brown nearly punished James
Colliver’s underpowered back header that fell well short of Ogden, but
the Belper ‘keeper was out like a flash to smother the danger.
Scott
Lowe repeated the misdemeanour on the stroke of half time but once again
Ogden got him out of trouble with a great save.
Anthony
Wilson opted to pass the ball when he had claimed the right to go on and
shoot in the 53rd minute as Belper went at Glapwell straight
from the whistle.
But
with almost their first attack of the second half they stunned the
Nailers when Michael Fox turned to stroke a low shot across the
face of goal and in at the far post.
The
set back visibly shook the Nailers and for a time they were under
sustained pressure for the first time in the game, and another goal at
this stage would surely have finished them.
They
tried to turn the tables on Glapwell and Lee Stevenson nearly found his
range with a dipping volley in the 68th minute and Richard
Tracey had a shot just wide 5 minutes later.
However
the game turned on its head following the introduction of substitute Pete
Smith who began the fight back in the 83rd minute.
Belper
had forced a few corner kicks before Smith struck and they would have
been grateful for a goal however it was scored.
Smith managed to
get his head to a loose ball on the edge of the six-yard area and the
spin on it caused it to bounce inside of the post beyond the despairing
dive of Neil West.
Now
it was Belper’s turn to be in the ascendancy and as they flowed forward
relentlessly yet another corner kick provided the opportunity for Smith
to strike the ball high into the net off the underside of the cross bar.
Glapwell tried in
vain to get back into the game but Belper weren’t about to relinquish
this hard won lead and the large Belper contingent of supporters showed
their vocal appreciation as the players left the field victorious.
Nigel Oldrini
|
