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Belper
Town took a slender lead back to Christchurch Meadow after the first leg
of the Derbyshire Senior Cup Final ended in a surprise victory at the
Impact Arena.
The
Nailers were weakened by the loss of regular ‘keeper Paul Pettinger,
skipper and key central defender Jon Hobson and joint manager Danny
Hudson.
Young
Sheffield United ‘keeper Marc Furniss came in for only his second
appearance for the Nailers and Gary Middleton started a game for the
first time in many weeks after suffering injury and suspension.
Leading
scorer Ross Hannah was back in the Nailers line up after serving a
three-match ban.
Joint
manager Andy Carney sent out an attacking side and was rewarded with an
enthusiastic performance against a rather hesitant Alfreton team who, for
the first half at least, seemed taken aback by Belper’s confident and
progressive football.
In
fact the Reds defence was almost none existent when the Nailers took the
lead in only the third minute when Scott Lowe’s long throw was touched on
by Ross Hannah to the unmarked Ben Walker, who thrilled the
travelling support with a thumping shot from 12 yards.
Belper
wouldn’t let Alfreton settle in these early stages and Reds ‘keeper
Laurence Matthewson was mightily relieved when Anthony Wilson failed to
capitalize on a poor clearance in the 6th minute and then the
home side were grateful to see Lowe head wide from a Krystof Kotylo free
kick.
Lee
Stevenson blazed over when he had his sights on goal in the 16th
minute, but he was much closer to the target in the 29th
minute when he drilled a free kick just wide from the edge of the penalty
area.
It
came as no surprise really when Belper extended their lead in the 32nd
minute when Scott Lowe curled a great early cross into the six yard area
for Anthony Wilson to head on, and Gary Middleton was on hand to
force the ball over the line.
Very
little had been seen of the home team as an attacking force but Brian
Cusworth found a chink in the Belper defence on 42 minutes but fired well
wide from 15 yards.
The
Nailers had lost James Colliver with a groin problem as early as the
12th minute and their defensive woes were to worsen on the
stroke of half time when Gary Middleton had to be stretchered off with a
torn hamstring.
The
loss of two defenders probably contributed to their poor start to the second
half when Alfreton cut straight through Belper’s rearguard and Paul
Clayton had put the ball past Marc Furniss before anyone reacted.
Alfreton
hit the bar soon afterwards and it took time for the Nailers to recover
their composure.
Krystof
Kotylo struck a good shot just wide in the 56th minute, and
although the Nailers had to work harder against more motivated opposition
in the second period, it was they who scored the next goal.
Belper
were awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area and on the left
side, and while the Alfreton players were lining up their defensive wall,
Krystof Kotylo was rewarded for some brilliant opportunism, and
sent the ball into the far corner of the net.
The
momentum was with the home team for much of the rest of the half and in
the 63rd minute Michael Harcourt saved the Nailers with a
clearance off the goal line, and Andy Rushbury’s acrobatic interception
denied Danny Reet, what looked like a certain goal.
Brian
Cusworth
brought the Reds back to within one goal with a powerful header from an
84th minute free kick, and although the Nailers had to defend
stoutly until the final whistle they can be very proud of their
performance against a team from two leagues higher in the pyramid.
Hopefully
Belper will have their missing key players back for the second leg, but
Alfreton will feel that they are still very much in this final, and the
return game at Christchurch Meadow should be a memorable occasion.
Tim
Harrison’s Photo Gallery
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