Academy strengthen position at top

The Nailers youngsters opened brightly and went ahead after just 4 minutes when Josh Bullock’s cross was controlled by Gianluca Gandola who played it in for Ethan Camm to crash the ball into the net from close range

Belper doubled their lead on 24 minutes when a clumsy challenge on Scott Taylor saw Belper awarded a penalty from which Josh Craddock confidently scored from the spot.

The game was all but over on the half hour mark when a quick throw in from Scott Taylor sent Gianluca Gandola away and his whipped cross to the back post was headed in by Josh Bullock.

Mossley were hit by a fourth goal only five minutes after the restart, Scott Taylor scoring with a spectacular header after Mossley had failed to deal with a right wing corner from Ethan Camm.

Jack Repton then produced a great save to deny Antonio Din Chin when the tall Mossley forward homed in on goal.

Mossley’s improved showing at this stage saw them pull a goal back on 58 minutes when Declan Lewis forced the ball home following a right wing corner.

The home side were then reduced to ten men when Nathan McGowan was dismissed for a second bookable offence, the latest of a string of undisciplined challenges by an increasingly frustrated Mossley team.

Despite the numerical disadvantage the Lilywhites made the score-line more respectable with five minutes remaining when a mistake by Belper ‘keeper Jack Repton allowed Antonio Din-Chin to steal the ball and roll into an empty net.

However, Belper weren’t finished and with the Mossley defence stretched as they searched desperately for another goal, Belper broke down the left and ‘man of the match ‘ Scott Taylor grabbed his second and Belper’s fifth goal with an exquisite dink over goalkeeper Harri Woski-Cawthorne.

Mossley AFC: Woski-Cawthorne, Barrow, Hunston, Chukwoma-Adelaje, Norris, McGowan, De Sa, Din-Chin, Owusu, Muavia. Subs: Dias, Satter, Chandler, Orme, El Barnossi-Iveson (GK)

Belper Town: Repton, Rodgers, Rathband, Watson, Weston, Higton, Gandola, Craddock, Camm, Taylor, Bullock. Subs: Hall, Mighty (GK), Walker, Bradbury, Patrick, Webster

Referee: Mr N Darby

Match Report by Joel Cain & George Dronfield (Academy Students)