Deja vu for Ladies Team in comfortable win

The two teams had been due to meet at the Raygar Stadium just before Christmas but bad weather forced the fixture to the 4G pitch at Belper Leisure Centre and history repeated itself with the venue change and the scoreline.

Belper started brightly and in the 4th minute Alice Faulding cut in from the left and tried her luck from range. Goalkeeper Jade Kemp did well to tip it wide and then could do little as Alex Holland's corner nearly went straight in, eventually bouncing off the crossbar and going behind.

On nine minutes a corner made its way to Sarah Roberts who saw her shot go just over the bar.

Three minutes later some great build-up play for Bakewell between Hannah Bent and Alice Broome created a chance for the latter with the shot going narrowly wide.

In the 21st minute, a long ball from Roberts found Hollie Thompson. Her great first touch enabled her to pick out a pass to Alex Holland who provided a nice finish to open the scoring.

After 34 minutes, a drop ball ended up falling for Jess Needham who saw her shot saved. When the ball made its way out to Hannah Dutton she unleashed an unstoppable effort from 25 yards to double Belper's lead.

A couple of minutes later the hosts were back in the match. The referee deemed there had been an obstruction in the Belper penalty area and pointed to the spot. Bent made no mistake with a pinpoint penalty past Emma Varnam.

In first half injury time, good work from India Amans on the right gave her the opportunity to find Faulding but her shot was at the goalkeeper.

Ten minutes in to the second half, Jazz Buxton controlled a pass in from her left before shooting just wide as the Nailers looked to restore their two goal lead.

That was the start of an improvement from Belper who had started the half slowly and on 56 minutes Amans was unlucky with a shot from range.

Back down at the other end moments later, Gabrielle Yardley brought a good save out of substitute goalkeeper Hannah Whysall.

On 65 minutes Mia Carnelley found Needham who saw her shot saved down low.

A minute later Bakewell were level. Another penalty was awarded following a coming together in the penalty area. Bent once again took responsibility and made no mistake, this time sending the ball straight down the middle.

In the 73rd minute the home side went ahead. A long ball caught out the Belper defence and Bent ran through, providing a nice finish to complete her hattrick.

Manager Dom Anderson will have been pleased with the response to going behind and it took only four minutes for the Nailers to restore parity. Faulding ran clear with the ball and got her head up to find Macie White and the England international made no mistake with her finish.

Seconds later Belper took the lead, with Faulding integral to the build-up play once again. Taking the ball in to the penalty area she tried to work a shot away but just when it looked like the chance had gone, she rolled the ball off for White who completed her brace.

In the 82nd minute Belper made sure of the points. A corner from Holland met the head of Roberts and although most spectators thought that Kemp had kept the ball out at the far post, the referee gave a goal and Belper had some breathing space.

The final action five minutes from time saw White pick out Thompson, her shot across goal was narrowly wide.

The win sees the Nailers in 5th place in the Derbyshire Girls and Ladies League Division One, with three games remaining.

Elsewhere in the division:
Wirksworth won a huge top of the table clash away to Draycott by a single goal.
Borrowash extended their cushion over Ashbourne by defeating them 4-1.
Stanton Ilkeston and Amber Valley shared the points in a result which is no good to either side.

Belper Town Ladies Development side were defeated 1-0 away to Borrowash Victoria Reserves and they now sit 3rd in Division Two.

Bakewell Town (squad): Amis, Bent, Broome, Bryan, Cocker, Goodall, Jones, Kemp, Potter, Thefaut, E. Wood, M. Wood, Worsdale, Yardley.

Belper Town: Varnam, Jackson, Pickard (C), Layton, Carnelley, Buxton, Roberts, Holland, Jackson, Faulding, Thompson.
Subs: Whysall, Cowen, White, Amans, Needham.

Referee: Stephen Price