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Referee
Darren England issued nine bookings and two sending offs in this scrappy
encounter at Christchurch Meadow, and provided most of the talking points
in the process.
Not
for the first time this season the Nailers relied on a late burst to
rescue a point when defeat was staring them in the face.
Belper
Town were hoping to retain their place in the play off zone as they faced
third bottom Shepshed Dynamo at Christchurch Meadow.
Joint
managers Andy Carney and Danny Hudson selected an unchanged starting
eleven from the one that won at Stocksbridge in midweek which meant
Michael Harcourt retained his place in midfield ahead of Andy Rushbury
who was named as a substitute.
In
the Shepshed side was former Nailers favourite Richie Butler and he was
captaining the visitors this afternoon together with defender Chris Peet
who also had a spell at the ‘Meadow.
Ross
Hannah got away down the left in the 2nd minute and found
Anthony Wilson with a first time cross but the Belper striker ran into
trouble before he could get a shot in.
Shepshed’s
Jamie Clarke took on the Belper defenders single handedly on 7 minutes
and although he got a shot in, the ball went harmlessly to Paul
Pettinger.
Belper
had a great chance to take the lead in the 13th minute when
Ross Hannah shielded the ball to give himself a clear shot on goal, but
he scuffed his shot straight to Gary Hateley.
Richie
Butler let the ball run under his foot a minute later and Anthony Wilson
was only a whisker away from heading Michael Harcourt’s cross towards the
target.
Shepshed
took the lead in the 18th minute when Rhys Powell’s free kick
was only partially cleared and Phil Massingham hit a swerving volley
into the corner of the net.
Richard
Haigh fouled Massingham on the edge of the penalty area in the 27th
minute but Scott Lowe managed to clear James Whitehead’s free kick.
Lowe’s
curling free kick looked to be creeping inside the far corner but Hateley
got a fist to the ball and averted the danger.
Lee
Stevenson tried to curl a 20-yard shot past the Shepshed ‘keeper but the
ball went half a yard over the angle, and Belper weren’t playing to their
usual fluid standard at this stage of the game.
Stevenson
claimed a handball offence as he challenged Shepshed defender Chris Peet
on the edge of the penalty area but the referee waved his claims away.
Anthony
Wilson jinked his way past three defenders and looked set to score with
only Hateley in his way, but Peet made an excellently timed tackle to
deny him the shooting opportunity.
Belper
went further behind on 47 minutes when substitute Julian
McDonald
received the ball on the edge of the area and he had time and space to
finish with a dipping and swerving shot past Pettinger.
The
Nailers were found wanting again in the 51st minute when Matt
Millns had time fire in a low shot that took a wicked deflection and
shaved the outside of the post.
Belper
hit further trouble on 58 minutes when leading scorer Ross Hannah was
shown a straight red card for an elbowing offence against Richie Butler,
although eye witnesses after the game suggested that that the decision
was clearly unjust.
A
long ball down the centre fell kindly to Anthony Wilson but with only the
‘keeper to beat he tamely hit his shot straight at Hateley and an
excellent opportunity had gone begging.
Wilson
was clearly onside two minutes later when the ball reached him when
unmarked but the referee’s assistant’s flag denied the Nailers another
opportunity.
Belper
were handed a golden opportunity to reduce the arrears after Anthony
Wilson was hacked down inside the penalty area on 72 minutes and Lee
Stevenson stepped up to confidently convert the spot kick.
Stevenson
was inches away from getting an equalizer straight from the restart with
a 25 yard effort that shaved the upright.
But
Belper hit an equalizer when Richard Tracey found Anthony
Wilson with
a neat pass on 80 minutes and he skipped past Butler and finished
brilliantly with a shot inside the post.
Shepshed’s Julian
McDonald was sent off for a straight red card offence in the 81st
minute to even up the numbers, then Wilson missed a great chance put
Belper ahead in the 86th minute when he headed Andy Rushbury’s
cross wide at the far post.
Lheareux
Menga could have won it for Shepshed but he hesitated too long and
allowed Pettinger to grab the ball at his feet.
In
the end Belper made heavy weather over what should have been another
three points but Shepshed made it very difficult for the Nailers to gain
momentum and as such deserved a share of the points.
Tim
Harrison’s Photo Gallery
Nigel Oldrini
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