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Two
evenly matched teams did their best to provide some entertainment for a
large Bank Holiday crowd but in the end a cold blustery wind and a poor
playing surface stifled much of what was on offer at the Bright Finance
Stadium.
The
Nailers fielded a first choice eleven against fellow play off hopefuls
Sheffield F C, but despite having more than their fair share of the play,
it’s far more likely that the Dronfield based side will end up in the top
five especially if they win all their games in hand.
The
Nailers had Ben Walker back in their ranks and he began his second term
as a Belper player on the bench and in the Sheffield side there were
former Nailers, Asa Ingall and Chris Dolby.
Rob
Ward should have put the home team ahead when he had an opportunity as
early as the 5th minute but fortunately for Belper he pulled
his shot wide of the far post.
The
Nailers created many potential scoring opportunities during the game and
in the 8th minute Danny Hudson set up Lee Stevenson for a shot
that went just wide and then from a 13th minute free kick
Anthony Wilson headed the ball on to Stevenson and his effort went just
beyond the upright.
In a
rare threat from Sheffield Paul Pettinger came out bravely at the feet of
Vill Powell on 25 minutes, and after a clash between Wilson and full back
Gavin Smith, Stevenson free kick came back to him but he put his follow
up shot well wide.
Andy
Rushbury almost gave the Nailers a half time lead with a curling right
foot shot that went just past the angle in the 45th minute,
and although Belper had enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the
opening half they didn’t have a goal to show for it.
Belper
looked the better side at the start of the second period and a great ball
over from Ross Hannah beat Danny Haystead but Andy Rushbury couldn’t get
control of the ball in it ran out for a goal kick.
Hannah
went close on 60 minutes with a cross shot that just missed the angle at
the far post, and probably Belper’s best chance came from a Wilson cross
two minutes later that fell for substitute Ben Walker, but his first time
shot went straight to Haystead’s midriff.
Hannah
almost set up Walker with a great through ball on 67 minutes but the
‘keeper came out quickly to cut out the danger, and with Belper still
calling the shots in this game, a powerful run from Wilson led to a fine
strike from Stevenson that the keeper parried.
Unfortunately
the rebound was too high for Walker who could only head the ball out for
a goal kick.
Substitute,
Jamie Smith hit the ball over the cross bar for Sheffield in the 80th minute
as Belper found themselves under pressure for the first time in the game.
Just
as the ball wouldn’t fall for Belper in the majority of the rest of the
game the home team found that they just couldn’t apply the finishing
touch, and in the final analysis a draw was just about the right result,
but for Belper the dropping of two points will make qualification for the
play offs just that little bit harder.
Tim
Harrison’s Photo Gallery
Nigel Oldrini
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