Stalemate at Butlin Road

A draw was probably a fair result with neither team doing quite enough to deserve to win the game.

Both sides had chances to take all three points but both goalkeepers were in fine form to ensure they each team went home with a clean sheet.

Belper bossed the opening exchanges without putting home ‘keeper Scott Dutton under undue pressure but skipper Laurie Wilson went closest for the Nailers with a free kick 22 yards out which flashed into the side netting

Nailers forward, Rob Stevenson gingerly walked off holding his back on the half-hour mark after a falling awkwardly following challenging for a header, which paved way for the introduction of Ben Fairclough who arguably was Belper’s most dangerous player on the day.

Rugby’s prolific forward David Kolodynski had his side’s best two chances of the game.

The first came on the stroke of half-time as strike partner Tom Liversedge flicked the ball on from a goal kick, which put Kolodynski through one-on-one with Belper ‘keeper Danny Haystead (pictured), but the Belper ‘keeper was not called into action as the Valley front man blazed over.

Haystead did have to be on his toes to tip over a rasping drive from 25-yards out from Valley forward Tom Liversedge deep into the half as both teams tried in vain to open the scoring.

Kolodynski had another chance from a virtually identical situation just past the hour mark, Liversedge again flicking on but Kolodynski wasted the opportunity by poking the ball just wide of Haystead’s left hand post.

The weather was becoming a major factor as the game progressed as temperatures reached 30 degrees Celsius, with both sets of players struggling to keep the game at a high tempo and fatigued in the second half as the Leicestershire sun beamed down upon Butlin Road.

Belper’s major opportunity of note in the second came when substitute Ben Fairclough knocked down a big diagonal ball from Phil Watt which fell into the path of Evan Garnett.

The Nailers forward did his best under pressure to engineer a finish but was thwarted by a good reaction save from the home ‘keeper
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And Belper might have snatched all three points right at the death as Ben Fairclough’s right sided cross found the head of centre-half Phil Watt whose powerful effort was tipped over by Rugby stopper Scott Dutton.

Rugby Town: Dutton; Rosser, Kelly, Towers, Ryan (Glascoe 70’), Rowley, Clifton, Parker, Kolodynski, Liversage, Warburton (Powell 80’). Other Subs: Mills, Holloway, Walker.

Belper Town: Haystead; Purcicoe, Lister, Watt, Matthews; Williams (Johnson 72’), Wilson , Towey; Garnett, Ryan (Taylor 84’), Stevenson (Fairclough 36’). Other Sub Divver.

Referee: Abbas Khan (Leicester)

Attendance: 221