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Belper Town can’t complain too
much about this defeat at the Weaver Stadium as they were distinctly
second best for the majority of the game.
The
Nailers traveled to Nantwich for the second time this season and were
without key defenders Jon Hobson (suspension), James Colliver (groin
strain) and Gary Middleton (hamstring).
Andy
Rushbury came in at left back while Joe Appleyard played on the opposite
flank and the Nailers much changed defence had Scott Lowe and Richard
Haigh in the centre.
Paul
Pettinger was back in goal after missing out on the midweek win in the
Derbyshire Senior Cup final first leg at Alfreton, but joint manager
Danny Hudson, who also missed the game at the Impact Arena, was named as
a substitute.
The
Nailers started the game slowly and were fortunate not to be behind in
only the 2nd minute when Dabbers striker Andy Kinsey put the
ball in the net, but the effort was disallowed for off side.
Kinsey
set up defender Paul Taylor for a shot in the 8th minute but
the ball flew high over the cross bar, but Belper’s sluggish opening cost
them in the 10th minute when the Nailers couldn’t clear a
cross from the left, and Kinsey was on hand to chip the ball over
Paul Pettinger from close range.
Pettinger had to be alert two
minutes later when Ashley Carter timed his run perfectly to beat the off
side trap but the Belper ‘keeper was able to stop the Nantwich striker’s
angled shot.
Belper
finally managed to get the ball up field in the 15th minute
and Anthony Wilson won a free kick just outside the penalty area, but
Scott Lowe’s shot went straight to Lee Jones.
Carter
caused problems for Belper again in the 20th minute after
cutting inside and dispatching a low shot from the edge of the area, but
fortunately his effort flew just past the post.
Another
Belper free kick, again earned by the hard working Wilson didn’t produce
anything as Andy Rushbury’s ball into the box was easily defended.
Lee
Stevenson tried something different with his free kick on 35 minutes, but
although he found Ross Hannah with a short ball into the area, his shot
on the turn was blocked.
Chris
Clements timed his run through the Belper defence perfectly in the 43rd
minute, but Pettinger came out quickly to intercept, however the Nailers
conceded a second goal on the stroke of half time when Andy
Kinsey
headed home from Danny Griggs’ free kick.
Belper
had a lot to do after the break but things didn’t get any better, and two
minutes after Nick Linford’s attempted chip shot was saved by Pettinger,
the Nailers were 3-0 down when Danny Griggs collected a cross to
the far post and executed a tight turn to shoot low into the far corner.
One
of Belper’s best moves produced a good header from Anthony Wilson in the
64th minute and Ben Walker did well to get the cross over in
the first place.
But
moments like these were a rarity and they never looked like making much
impression against a Nantwich side determined to put Belper to the sword
for the first time in three games.
Adam
Beasley nearly made it four with a 22 yard effort that hit the inside of
the post, and when Griggs put the ball in the net the effort was disallowed
as he was offside.
Wilson
nearly won the chase for the ball in the 74th minute but the
Nantwich ‘keeper Lee Jones managed to get it away, but Belper’s misery
was completed on 76 minutes when Krystof Kotylo’s ill judged back pass
put Pettinger in all sorts of trouble and his challenge on Omah Mahmood
gave Andy Kinsey the chance to complete his hat trick from the
penalty spot.
The
Nailers probably had their best spell of the game in the last 15 minutes
and in the 85th minute Pete Smith headed in a
consolation goal, but they hadn’t deserved anything more from the game
because they never got going against a more determined side.
This
was only their second defeat in fourteen games but they need to return to
winning ways quickly if they want that coveted play off
place.
Tim
Harrison’s Photo Gallery
Nigel Oldrini
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