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For the second
consecutive game the Nailers conceded four goals and put their play offs
hopes into serious jeopardy.
The Nailers welcomed
back skipper Jon Hobson from suspension but James Colliver was still
unfit after suffering a groin strain against Alfreton, and Andy Rushbury
was left out of the squad.
Sheffield striker
Vill Powell had the ball in the Belper net after only three minutes but
fortunately the referee’s assistant spotted an off side.
Paul Pettinger came
out to make a clearance but gave the ball straight to Darryl Winter but
the Sheffield man couldn’t take advantage of the open goal from 35 yards.
However the Nailers
fell behind in the 12th minute when Jamie Smith got up to a
cross from the right and former Belper player Asa Ingall put the
ball in at the far post.
Scott Lowe nearly
brought Belper back level with a 22nd minute free kick that
flew just past the upright, and after some intricate passing around the
Sheffield penalty area Krystof Kotylo struck a low shot from the corner
of the 18 yard box that fizzed just past the far post.
The Nailers went
further behind in the 40th minute when the Belper defence lost
concentration and allowed Vill Powell the opportunity to calmly
slot the ball past the exposed Pettinger.
Belper’s defence was
wide open on the stroke of half time when the ball came across to the far
post where Asa Ingall was waiting to hit the ball home from close
range.
Powell was a whisker away from getting a fourth
when he toe poked the ball just past the post after the Belper defence
had opened up once again.
Heavy rain greeted
the players at the start of the second half and the Nailers had a great
deal to do to retrieve what appeared to be a hopeless situation.
Jamie Smith got past
Richard Hague as the Belper defender slipped on the greasy surface but
his shot to the far post was blocked, and then the Nailers were handed a
ray of hope in the 56th minute when Sheffield skipper Tom
Jones was given a straight red for an off the ball incident.
Anthony Wilson ran
through and nearly managed to squeeze the ball in at the near post but
‘keeper Daniel Haystead looked to be struggling and in fact in the 70th
minute, he had to be replaced by Robert Ward who took the keeper’s
jersey.
But no sooner had the
game restarted when Sheffield added a fourth goal when Vill Powell
ran through the Belper rear guard and slotted the ball in from 15
yards.
On came Pete Smith
and Karl Ashton in an attempt to revitalize Belper’s fortunes and in the
81st minute the Nailers reduced the arrears when Richard Tracey scored with a shot
from 12 yards, and he nearly scored again on 84th minute but
his effort was stopped on the line.
Then two minutes
later Ross Hannah’s great run on the left produced a perfect cross for
Karl Ashton, but a simple opportunity was wasted when the ball got
tangled up in his feet.
The Nailers laboured
in the last stages to trying and reduce the arrears further but it was to
no avail and with just three games left it was beginning to look like
maximum points were required.
Tim
Harrison’s Photo Gallery
Nigel Oldrini
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