Dunkirk end Nailers FA Cup hopes

Dunkirk opened the scoring fifteen minutes in, through ex-Nottingham Forest man Eugen Bopp who turned in the box and finished low past Belper ‘keeper Danny Haystead after he took advantage of some generous defending from the Nailers.

The away side doubled their lead ten minutes into the second half through wideman Will Coutts, who cut inside from the right and finished low into the bottom corner with his left foot, following good work from Kevin Hemagou.

Belper responded instantly to going two goals down and pulled a goal back through Rob Stevenson, the Nailers forward dribbled his way through the centre of Dunkirk’s defence and smashed the ball home from the edge of the area, which looked to set up an interesting final half an hour.

Although Dunkirk settled any nerves in the 63rd minute when Tristram Whitman tapped home from inside the box after Belper ‘keeper Haystead spilled the ball, saving one vs one from the impressive Hemagou who was clean through on goal.

Dunkirk, who play one level below in the Midland Counties League, looked in control throughout despite the Nailers being an Evo-Stik Division One South outfit.

Belper did not create many clear cut chances all afternoon but Evan Garnett had a couple of opportunities late on to get his side back in the game, he squared the ball for substitute Anton Wedderburn who could only awkwardly turn the ball over the bar from six yards out.

Just moments later Garnett beat the offside trap to race clean through on goal, he rounded the onrushing ‘keeper Jake Want but the ball was cleared as he tried to squeeze it in from a tight angle.

Today was the first fixture since Rugby Town on the 22nd August where the Nailers have not had a player sent off, which is one of the only positives manager Jim Albans can take from today’s performance as the suspensions start to take their toll on the Nailers.

Belper turn their attention to another the cup competition on Tuesday as they host Rugby Town, who come off the back of a remarkable 3-2 victory at Ilkeston to also knock the Nailers Derbyshire neighbours out of the Emirates F.A Cup.

Belper Town: Haystead (GK); Purcicoe, Watt, Lister, Matthews; Fairclough, Wilson (Capt.), Towey, Johnson (Wedderburn 67’); Stevenson (Taylor 90’), Garnett. Unused subs: Constable, Cooksey, Marshall.

Dunkirk FC: Want (GK); Wilcox, Bennett (Whalin 55’), Ellis, Hastie, Hawkins (Dawson 76’), Coutts (Bloomfield 75’), Bopp, Massingham, Whitman, Hemagou. Unused subs: Osborne, Clark, Clarke.

Attendance: 205

Referee: Matthew Law (Loughborough)