Honours even at the Meadow

PHOTO | Steels successfully defend a Belper corner (Photo: Tim Harrison)

They were looking to build upon last week’s away win at Stamford and Nailers gave Josh Thornton his home debut, although striker Alex Steadman was ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Steel’s Joe Lumsden fired a shot across goal in the first minute and almost immediately Belper hit back when Evan Garnett sent over a cross from the bye line that failed to find anyone running in.

Lumsden weaved his way into the penalty area in the 4th minute and hit a good shot straight at Scott Low, and the game had got off to a brisk start.

Stocksbridge went close on 14 minutes when Steels’ skipper Liam McFadyen headed just over from a corner kick.

Belper took advantage of some poor defending in the 18th minute and after Ruben Wiggins-Thomas and Evan Garnett’s involvement, Jon Williams stuck a fierce ground shot straight at the ‘keeper.

Eric Graves almost set up Wiggins-Thomas on 27th minute but David Reay came out quickly to smother the ball, then moments later Wiggins-Thomas found a way past three defenders and was once again denied by the Steels’ keeper.

The Nailers were beginning to open up the visitor’s defence as the half progressed but were still waiting for a clear opening.

Meanwhile Scott Ruthven forced a fingertip save out of Scott Low on 36 minutes and from the resulting corner kick, the same player headed against the foot of the post , and Belper had ridden their luck and got away with it.

The Nailers pushed hard for a goal in the last few minutes of the first half but the teams went into the break all square.

Josh Thornton made a great tackle to stop the progress of Nathaniel Crofts on 52 minutes, and the half had begun in a low key fashion with neither side creating much at all.

The Nailers came close to scoring on 55 minutes with a good move on the right with Wiggins-Thomas setting up Eric Graves for a first time shot that was blocked by a defender.

Wiggins-Thomas was unfortunate moments later after a great turn inside the box but once again a defender got in the block, and in the same phase of play Evan Garnett beat the ‘keeper to the ball but had it taken off him again before he could score.

The game was opening up nicely now with half chances being created at both ends and Scott Low had to be alert in the 66th minute when Adam Hinchliffe broke through a struck a hard shot at the near post that Low was equal to.

As the game entered the last 15 minutes both sides were pushing for a winner and in the 76th minute Jon Williams tried his luck from 35 yards but the Steels ‘keeper saved comfortably.

Matthew Reay jumped higher then anyone in the 84th minute to put his header over the bar and the Nailers were living dangerously at times as Steels looked the most likely to score.

The visitors thought they had scored when Harrison Biggins’ free kick dipped wickedly and hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced away. Only goal line technology could have decided one way or the other, but there was no time for debate as Joe Lumsden forced a great block from Low as the game entered added on time.

Harrison Biggins ran in and blasted a 15 yard shot goal bound and again Low was in the right place to prevent a Stocksbridge winner and in the final analysis a point apiece was just about right for two side with similar abilities.

Belper Town: Low, Thornton (Palmer 86), Guy, Graves, Freeman, Watt, Garnett, Armstrong, Wiggins-Thomas, Williams, Constable (Richards 48). Unused subs: Goddard, Birks, Rathbone.

Stocksbridge PS: Reay D, Meade, Grayson, Gregory, McFadyen, Reay M, Hinchcliffe (Poulton 78), Biggins, Lumsden, Ruthven (Burbeary 62), Crofts. Unused subs: Hobson, Laight, Thompson.

Referee: Steven Abbott

Att: 245