Fine performance overcomes Chasetown

The Scholars are one of the hot favourites to gain promotion this season but the Nailers rose to the occasion and thoroughly deserved their victory in front of over 300 spectators.

Belper needed goal keeping cover as Adam Ogden and Martin Kearney were unavailable so Lawrence Matthewson was signed on loan from Alfreton Town and went on to play an important part in a very enjoyable game.

Andy Rushbury was absent through injury and Mickey Harcourt was restored to the starting line up.

The Nailers made a promising start to the game and Ollie Ryan sent a 5th minute shot on the turn just over the cross bar.

Lee Stevenson almost opened the scoring 2 minutes later when he headed a Mickey Harcourt cross towards goal, but Ryan Price got down quickly to make the save.

The game remained a stalemate for the next 15 minutes or so but Chasetown began to get into their stride and Lawrence Matthewson was kept busy with handling crosses, and made a great stop from Gary Birch in the 27th minute.

Dave Egan back headed a free kick just over the bar on the half hour as the Nailers were pegged back in their own half, but the tables turned for the remainder of the period as Belper fought back territorially.

They played some attractive attacking football without actually creating a clear cut opportunity although Richard Haigh headed just over the bar from a Jordan Hall corner kick.

The Nailers continued in the same vein after the break and Jon Froggatt hit a shot just wide in the 53rd minute, but Ben Steane almost caught out Matthewson with a fiercely driven cross that need the intervention of the Belper ‘keeper to ensure that the ball didn’t creep in at the far post.

Ollie Ryan (pictured) had an impressive game for the Nailers, but he should have done better in the 61st minute when he split the Chasetown defence, and although he looked set to score, Ryan Price came out quickly to block the shot, and Jon Froggatt wasn’t able to capitalise with the follow up.

Ryan headed just wide in the 68th minute, but the defining moment came in the 74th minute when Lee Stevenson shimmied past his marker and hit a left foot shot into the far corner of the net for his 24th goal of the season.

Ryan might have sealed the points for the Nailers in the 79th minute but couldn’t apply the final touch to Ben Walker’s teasing cross into the six yard area, and this prompted Chasetown to mount a charge at the Belper goal in search of an equaliser.

The Nailers survived two consecutive quick fire shots that hit post and bar respectively in the 82nd minute, but Belper’s defenders kept Chasetown at bay and in fact they finished the game strongly despite 4 minutes of added on time.

CHASETOWN
Price, Branch, Milligan (Miller 73), Slater, Saunders, Teesdale, Steane, Egan, Birch (Smith 65), Hay, Stephens (Horler 65). Other subs: Thomas, Embrey

BELPER TOWN
Matthewson, Colliver, Adams, Telling, Harcourt, Haigh, Naylor, Stevenson (Mirfin 85), Ryan (Fedorenko 90), Froggatt, Hall (Walker 74). Other subs: Hindley, Carney

Goalscorers

BELPER TOWN
Lee STEVENSON(74)

Referee: A P Barney (Leicester)

Attendance: 319

Man of the Match: Ollie RYAN

Match Action
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