Oliver double sees off Chasetown

The Nailers made one change from the team that rattled in seven goals at the weekend with Dean Oliver replacing Anthony Wilson up front.

Chasetown arrived at Christchurch Meadow for the first time as a UniBond League club although Belper had faced them twice before, in the FA Cup where honours were even with both sides winning a tie each.

The Scholars made FA Cup history in December 2007 by becoming the lowest ranked side ever to make the third round proper, where they were finally eliminated by Cardiff City.

It was a fast and furious start with Lee Stevenson going close for Belper with a 5th minute free kick that curled just past the far post, then Ben Walker drew applause after twisting one way and then the other before bending a left foot shot just wide.

Lee Stevenson and Dean Oliver had shots over the bar from distance, but Ben Steane connected much better with the ball in the 15th minute, and forced Adam Ogden into an excellent one handed save.

Oliver tried a speculative shot from 22 yards that dipped over the bar and at the 20 minute stage the Nailers were having slightly the better of things.

Ben Walker tried to catch Ryan Price off his line with a 25 yard shot that veered away from the upright, and then Dean Oliver turned well and hit the side netting with an angled drive.

Walker found the angle too tight in the 37th minute when he tried to nod a Mickey Harcourt corner kick towards the target, but 3 minutes later Ross Miller tugged Ben Walker’s shirt as he was running through and the referee applied the letter of the law and sent off the Chasetown defender.

Unfortunately the Nailers couldn’t benefit from the free kick taken by Stevenson even though the deflection nearly took the ball into the goal.

Despite their depleted status the visitors pegged the Nailers back until half time, but Belper made an spectacular start to the second half with Dean Oliver scoring twice in 60 seconds.

In the 51st minute Dean Oliver narrowly beat the offside trap and leaving defenders in his wake, went on to finish hard and low past Price.

Almost straight from the restart Andy Rushbury took the ball off Richard Teesdale and unselfishly squared it to Oliver who drilled it past the ‘keeper to put the Nailers in control.

Adam Ogden had to rush out and deny Ben Steane who ran on to a long ball out of defence and look set to reduce the arrears for the Staffordshire side, however with Chasetown having to push forward the game was very open.

There was an anxious moment for Belper in the 79th minute when Steane again got the wrong side of the Belper defence, but this time he fired the ball narrowly over the cross bar.

Belper nearly sealed it in the 83rd minute when Richard Haigh escaped up the left wing but couldn’t squeeze the ball past Price and the ball was eventually cleared for a corner kick.

Belper continued to be a threat on the break and in the 90th minute Anthony Wilson put his shot wide after Luke Fedorenko ran 25 yards with the ball.

The Nailers couldn’t add to their total but with a home tie against Grantham Town facing them in the quarter finals, a semi final place is now very much within their grasp.

Belper Town: Ogden, Harcourt, Haigh, Naylor, Colliver (Mirfin 80), Adams, Telling, Stevenson (Wilson 78), Walker, Oliver, Rushbury (Fedorenko 83). Other subs: Hudson, Kearney.

Chasetown: Price, Branch J, Branch M, Miller, Marshall, Teesdale, Steane, Egan, Birch, Smith (Scandrett 78), Farmer (Milligan 90). Other subs: Thomas, Horton.

Referee: I Dudley (Mansfield Woodhouse)

Attendance: 136

Match Sponsors: Boxall, Brown and Jones

Man of the Match: Tom Naylor

Action Images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldhousespy/sets/72157622748858969/