‘It was two points dropped’- Webster reacts to Romulus draw

Facing a side a point off relegation, with the worst away record in the division and in Belper’s recent form they were nailed on favourites.

However, that made the point even more damning and Aaron Webster was first to acknowledge a wasted opportunity.

“It was two points dropped. To have a penalty and go down to ten men with an hour to go and still don’t win the game, it’s disappointing.”

“Just watching the game last, it looked like because we are on a good bit of form and played really well, it’s just like we can turn up and turn it on by a switch. Footballs not like that, you’ve got to be at it.”

It seemed fortunes favoured The Nailers as Romulus defender Jake Donnelly saw red mid-way through the first half for a poor challenge inside their own box. Lee Williamson dispatched the spot kick.

To even the score, referee Gareth Davies awarded a second penalty, this time for the away side after Kieran Harrison tangled with Malachi Farquharson. Romario Martin converted to leave it level at the break.

Romulus were gifted a goal six minutes from the re-start, Joe Searson-Smithard messed his clearance and Farquharson put into an open net. The scorer reminded Belper they were in a game all night long and Webster highlighted the strikers’ contribution against his side.

‘We took the bait into their style where they’ve got Farquharson who’s played at this level for a long time. He knows his strengths and weaknesses and he plays to his strengths really well.”

“He won freekicks, held the ball up and let their team get up the pitch. We didn’t deal with the best we possibly could. Romulus had a good game last night and were in the game because of their striker.”

Johnathan Jebbison equalised just past the hour mark, yet the man advantaged hardly counted and the points were shared. A regrettable ending left Jack Hallahan and a Romulus coach dismissed for a touchline altercation.

A side from the messy final scene, Webster was cynical of how his team went about their game and not capitalising on the many advantages before and during the game on their side.

“You couldn’t tell they had ten men against our 11. But we gave them the initiative. We gave them the confidence to fight for every ball, every challenge.”

“Where we could’ve not given them that incentive, not given them that confidence by passing the ball quickly, keeping possession more than them. We could’ve taken the sting out of that game a lot better than we did.”

Still, Webster took the positives of picking up points and fighting for a draw which could’ve gotten away from them, while boasting his best run of form as Belper boss.