Nailers hold nerve in penalty shoot-out

Belper Town extended their unbeaten run to seven games after winning this entertaining Integro Doodson League Cup encounter against local rivals from the Premier Division, Mickleover Sports.

The Nailers produced the finest set of penalty kicks you are ever likely to see as they moved forward into the second round by 5 penalties to 3 after the game ended all square at 90 minutes.

The Nailers made one significant change with Mark Rathbone coming in for Danny Haystead in goal while Sports fielded a strong side that included former Football League professionals Clinton Morrison and Pablo Mills.

Belper nearly made the perfect start in the 1st minute after Evan Garnett found Alex Steadman inside the penalty area but his shot on the turn was saved by Jake Eastwood.

Clinton Morrison headed against the cross bar on 6 minutes as the visitors began to spray the ball about confidently and started to pressurised the Belper defence.

The Nailers broke clear in the 14th minute and Will Dennis made good progress deep into the visitor’s penalty area but lost his footing as he was about to let fly.

Phil Watt just failed to make contact with an 18th minute corner as the Nailers started to play their way into the game.

Evan Garnett burst past three players in the 24th minute and set up Jonathan Williams whose shot sped past the far post, and Belper were looking capable of upsetting the Mickleover defence as the game progressed.

Pablo Mills was cautioned for a tackle on John Guy who was running through midfield, and from the resulting free kick the Belper defender volleyed a first time effort high and wide.

The Nailers lost Phil Watt to a hamstring injury on 38 minutes and was replaced by Sam Birks with Micky Armstrong slotting in alongside John Guy.

John McGrath hit a swerving effort wide of the post close to half time as Mickleover got up a head of steam in the final few minutes of the half.

The second period began evenly with neither side making much impression, although in the 50th minute Clinton Morrison turned and shot well wide, and he was much nearer 3 minutes later when he had an effort kicked off the line by Will Dennis.

Brodie Lichfield forced Mark Rathbone into a diving save with a snap shot from 18 yards on 59 minutes, and Mickleover threatened to dominate the game, albeit without causing Rathbone too many problems.

Danny Schofield attempted two ground shots in as many minutes which Rathbone gathered easily, then the Nailers went up field in the 71st minute catching Mickleover short-handed in defence and Dominic Allen tucked away a close range opportunity to shock the visitors.

Sports came back with renewed vigour and some close man to man passing created a shooting opportunity for Lewis Belgrave but he could only screw the ball well wide of the target.

The Nailers had a close call on 81 minutes when Brodie Lichfield beat everyone for pace but his flick past Mark Rathbone saw the ball trickle just past the far post.

When it was looking like Belper were seeing through the last few minutes safely, Mickleover fashioned an equaliser when Clinton Morrison turned the ball into the path of Lewis Belgrave who struck the ball with power beyond Rathbone in the 90th minute to send the tie into a penalty competition.

Pablo Mills gave Belper a boost when Mickleover’s first penalty kick was brilliantly saved by Mark Rathbone (pictured) then Johnathan Williams, Micky Armstrong, Alex Steadman, John Guy and Dominic Allen all converted expertly to give the Nailers the win.

Belper Town: Rathbone, Dennis, Butcher, Graves, Guy, Watt (Birks 38), Allen, Armstrong, Garnett (Barker 86). Williams, Steadman. Unused subs: Palmer G, Haystead

Mickleover Sports: Eastwood: Bennett, Ptak, McGrath (Lansdowne 68), Mills, Burgin (Dickensen 80), Scott, Belgrave, Morrison (Dales 90), Lichfield, Schofield.

Referee: Richard Eley

Att: 183