Victoria Victorious as Nailers Ladies exit Cup

On a cold and wet afternoon in Erewash, Belper were missing leading scorer Alice Faulding through work commitments but welcomed a couple of new signings in to the fold ready to face a strong Draycott Victoria side.

The hosts had won four out of the last five DGLL Division One titles, electing against promotion on each occasion but it was the Nailers who made all of the early running.

In the opening seconds, great work down the right by debutant Mia Carnelley resulted in a corner to Belper. Carnelley got her head to the end of it but Kimberly Jeffery was equal to it in the Draycott goal.

It was a really positive start from Dom Anderson's side and within a minute they'd created another chance when India Amans beat her player down the left before crossing to Carnelley. Off balance, Belper's number 6 could only find the side netting.

The impressive Amans would go on to have a goal disallowed for a debatable offside call later in the half.

On 12 minutes came Draycott's first chance when a cross from the left found the head of Natalie Loughenbury but her header was wide.

Four minutes later Jess Needham picked up the ball 25 yards from goal and unleashed a thunderbolt of a shot which she was very unlucky to see smash off the crossbar and go out for a goal kick.

In the 20th minute Shannon Worrall saw her shot from range saved as Belper continued to dominate proceedings.

The 23rd minute saw more good attacking play, this time Carnelley firing a shot in from a tight angle and Amans couldn't quite reach the rebound at the back post.

After this the hosts started to improve and Belper had a lucky escape twelve minutes before the break when they were unable to clear a free kick, Lucy Ferris tried her luck but the shot was wide.

The deadlock was broken on 36 minutes when, despite a suspicion of handball, Loughenbury brought the ball down and finished well past Hannah Whysall who has impressed for Belper between the posts this season.

Now playing with confidence, Victoria doubled their lead in the 41st minute when the ball broke kindly for Ferris who curled a lovely shot in to the corner.

Injury time of the first half saw a great passing move by Belper with the ball eventually finding Macie White. Her shot was just wide as the Nailers finished the half as they had started it, very positively.

The second half saw Draycott settle and they were the better side in the early stages of it, a corner just before the hour mark saw headers by both Kerry Keeling and Victoria Downing cause problems for Belper.

On 64 minutes, a penalty was awarded to the home side for a foul by Dion Cowen on Ferris. Loughenbury took responsibility to double her tally for the afternoon and give the Nailers a mountain to climb.

Belper's best moment of the half came in the 74th minute when Eloise Mott's cross found Amans who shot just wide.

The game was sewn up a minute later when Draycott broke down the other end and following a pinpoint cross from the left, Keeling produced a clinical finish with the inside of her right foot beyond Emma Varnam who had come on at half time.

Varnam produced a good save four minutes from time, from Loughenbury's shot.

Four minutes in to injury time, Jazz Buxton swung in a free kick which the 'keeper spilled but her defenders managed to clear to safety.

The Nailers put in a brave performance against strong opposition but exit the DGLL Challenge Cup - attention now turns to another tough fixture in the form of Wirksworth Colts in the Derbyshire FA Cawarden Womens Cup 2nd Round next weekend.

Belper Town: Whysall, Pickard (C), Cowan, Powles, Worrall, Roberts, Buxton, Needham, Amans, Macluskey, Carnelley.
Subs: Varnam, Mott, White, Dutton, Burke.

Referee: Chris Garner