Belper Town 2-3 Bottesford Town

Belper came into this one hoping to grab the win to take them into the first round proper with the possibility of facing a football league club.

Bottesford created the first chance of the game as the no.11 had the ball on the left hand side of the box and found some room but fired over the cross bar. Bottesford had the better of the opening 10 minutes as they created another chance, a free kick was floated in but the Bottesford player headed over the cross bar.

Belper had an appeal for a penalty turned away not long after as Cain whipped the ball into the box and it hit the arm of the defender but the referee waved it away. Bottesford should of taken the lead just before the 15 minute mark as the ball went across goal with the forward just needing to tap home but Belper somehow scrambled the ball away to keep the scores level.

Bottesford did however take the lead a few minutes later as the ball found its way to the Bottesford forwrd who hit the ball on the half volley with the ball finding its way under Gilbert in the Belper net. After the Bottesford opener the game was quiet and went flat, both sides created a few chances but none to really trouble either keeper and Bottesford went into the break 1-0 up.

Belper managed to hit back 3 minutes into the second half as Nixon whipped in a low free kick which was flicked in off the underside of the cross bar by Lewis Higton and Belper were level. Things got even better for Belper as 6 minutes later Holloway found himself at the byline and pulled the ball back to Cain who smashed the ball into the corner to turn the game on its head.

After the two early goals the game went flat again with not many chances being created by either side and neither keeper really having the make a save. Belper had a chance on the 81st minute to put the tie to bed as the ball got whipped in to Cain who only had to side foot the ball into the net but his effort went just wide of the post.

A couple minutes after that chance tempers boiled over and with Holloway trying to slow the game down the Bottesford Town captain was not happy and grbbed Holloway's shirt which started pushing and shoving between both sides, Holloway and the Bottesford captain both saw red for the incident and both teams were down to ten. Bottesford managed to grab an equaliser as no.9 found himself in on goal and cooly slotted the ball into the corner of the net with only a few minutes remaining.

Bottesford nearly grabbed the winner as the ball made its way to no.9 yet again in loads of space, as he hit the ball on the volley but Lewis Higton flew across to make a sensational block to send the ball out for a corner. Unfortunately for the young Nailers, the resulting corner was whipped into the box and headed home from 6 yards out to break Belper hearts in added time.

A few minutes later the whistle went and Belper had fallen as the 3rd Qualifying Stage whilst Bottesford found their way into the first round proper.

Belper Town Starting XI:
Gilbert, Tidmarsh, Brady, Armstead, L.Higton, Boyall, Carter, Nixon, Cain, Holloway, Tunnicliffe

Subs: Daley, Gregory, Bunting, Kidger-Preston, Pickering (GK)