Belper blow pay-off chance

It should really have been three points for the Nailers which could have kept hopes alive until the last weekend of the season, but ill luck in front of goal and the inability to kill teams off when ahead in games cost Belper dear, and not for the first time this season.

Richard Haigh, Andy Rushbury and most notably Lee Stevenson were left on the bench while Anthony Wilson was absent through suspension, but the Nailers should have had more than enough in their locker to despatch Dynamo although they just couldn’t do it.

Kris Nurse, Dynamo’s danger man up front nearly put the home side ahead after James Colliver’s back header fell short but he put the ball over the top, and then Adam Ogden denied the striker in the 13th minute when he flicked the ball away as Nurse threatened to find a colleague running in.

But Belper gradually worked their way into the game and took the lead on 18 minutes when Dean Oliver’s cross was missed completely by Adam Hohn leaving Luke Fedorenko (pictured) to volley into the far corner.

Jon Froggatt headed a Fedorenko cross just wide in the 27th minute but Richard Adams was perhaps fortunate to stay on the field after appearing to elbow Nurse in the side of the head, however the referee showed leniency by showing him just a yellow card.

Belper were fortunate to survive in the 36th minute when Neil Morgan’s cross into the six yard area fell to Nurse who, from barely two yards out suffered the ignominy of missing a sitter.

Dean Oliver’s powerful run in the 40th minute deserved a better finish but his shot flew just past the post, and in a frantic end to the half by the Nailers, Froggatt headed over a Ryan Hindley cross and was then denied by Dynamo ‘keeper Laurie Pearson on the stroke of half time.

Dean Oliver should have given Belper a dream start to the second period after he received Fedorenko’s pass but as he tried to make sure from six yards, the ball caught Pearson’s elbow and agonisingly came back off the upright into the ‘keeper’s arms.

It was all Belper at this stage and there were more groans of frustration in the 61st minute after Jon Froggatt’s clever footwork culminated with a tremendous shot that cannoned off the cross bar with the ‘keeper well beaten.

But Loughborough began to have more possession after this and Adam Ogden was called upon to make a great save from Neil Morgan’s 68th minute free kick, then the hitherto steadfast Belper defence opened up for Kris Nurse to dart through and fire in the equaliser on 79 minutes.

A dispirited Belper team tried to rally and Lee Stevenson appeared to have a great chance of regaining the lead in the 87th minute but couldn’t get his shot on target from 6 yards out.

With the Nailers committed to attack the inevitable happened in added on time with substitute Carl Adams slipping through the Belper defence unchallenged and condemning the visitors to another season in Division One South.

Loughborough Dynamo: Pearson, Hohn, Lester, Noble, Jenno, Masters (Rennalls 62), Ross, Morgan, Nurse, Johnson (Adams 62), Edwards (Miller 88). Unused subs: Williams, Dale-Brown.

Belper Town: Ogden, Colliver (Warren 82), Barnard, Naylor, Harcourt, Adams, Hindley (Rushbury 82), Telling, Oliver (Stevenson 62), Froggatt, Fedorenko. Unused subs: Haigh, Mirfin.

Referee: E M Smart (Smethwick)

Attendance: 125

Man of the Match:

Match Action: