The Opposition - Key Facts
Full name: Basford United Football Club
Nickname: The Lions, The Ambers
Founded: 1900
Ground: Greenwich Avenue
Capacity: 2,400
Chairman: David Lilley
Manager: Martin Carruthers
Last season: 21st/22 (NPL Prem) (Relegated)
Journey distance: 18 miles

The Opposition - History
Basford United was founded in 1900 at the Old Pear Tree Inn, starting in the Notts Combination before joining the Notts Alliance, where they won several early league titles. They spent much of the 20th century moving between divisions, with relegations and promotions in the 1970s–90s, and lifted the Notts Senior Cup in 1947 and 1988. After briefly withdrawing in 2005–06, they returned stronger, finishing runners-up twice before switching to the Central Midlands League.

Success followed with back-to-back titles in 2011–13, leading to promotions up the non-league pyramid. Basford claimed the Midland League Premier Division title in 2014–15, alongside more Notts Senior Cup wins, and reached the Northern Premier League Division One South play-offs the following season.

In 2017–18 they won Division One South to move into the Premier Division, again securing county cup honours. League restructuring saw moves between the Northern Premier and Southern Leagues, before relegation to Division One Midlands followed a second-bottom finish in 2024–25.

The Opposition - This Season
The Lions were the team to watch in the early stages of the season, with a 4-4 draw on matchday one quickly followed by a 5-0 home win in the FA Cup against Hucknall Town.
Runs of three wins here and two wins there seemed to be followed by draws or defeats meaning it wasn't until matchday 18 that they occupied 2nd spot and since then they have not dropped lower than 4th.
They hit their straps properly in November, with a 1-0 home win against Lichfield City kickstarting a run of 14 matches unbeaten, with half of these matches being drawn and enabling Carlton Town to pull away alongside Anstey Nomads (who would later leapfrog them) at the top of the table.
The winning run over, they lost three out of four then after a couple of victories they suffered heavy defeats at Lichfield City and Anstey Nomads.
They come in to this Playoff Semi-Final off the back of defeat to Long Eaton United at the weekend but previous to this they had not lost in five.

League (3rd/22): P 42 W 19 D 12 L 11 F 63 A 56 Pts. 69
Cups: P 7 W 4 D 2 L 1 F 16 A 9
FA Cup: Exited at First Qualifying Round (Hednesford Town)
FA Trophy: Exited at Third Qualifying Round (Alvechurch)
County Cup: Still in (play Kimberley Miners Welfare in the Final)

Top goalscorers (NPL only): Jordan Hallam (10), Jack Goodman (7)
Most minutes played (NPL only): Matthew Yates (3,690), Connor Dimaio (3,658)
Biggest victory: 5-0 vs. Hucknall Town (16th August)
Heaviest defeat: 0-4 vs. Anstey Nomads (28th March)
Highest home attendance: 676 vs. Carlton Town (26th December)
Average home attendance (NPL): 314 (8th/22)
Most consecutive wins: 3
Most games without a win: 4
Most consecutive defeats: 2
Most games without a defeat: 14

The Nailers
Belper had a great start to the season, losing just once in a busy August, that defeat being to Kidsgrove Athletic in the FA Cup.
It would be October until they lost in the NPL at home to Carlton Town but by then the FA Trophy campaign was also over as Rugby Town staged a fantastic second half comeback.
One defeat led to two, away to Coleshill Town but the ship was then steadied with wins over Anstey Nomads and AFC Rushden & Diamonds.
November was an outstanding month for the Nailers, seeing four wins and a draw and defeat at home to St. Neots Town on the 20th of December was a first in nine matches.
Long Eaton United away on Boxing Day saw a Nailers horror show and heavy defeat and 2026 started with a mixed bag - a win, draw and defeat all at the Raygar Stadium.
February saw only one win as revenge was gained on Rugby Town with a comfortable NPL win but the next three matches were a struggle and Belper didn't win any of them.
After another win in Rugby, this time at Borough, a disappointing home defeat to Sutton Coldfield Town came next.
A great win at AFC Rushden & Diamonds was followed by another reversal at the Raygar Stadium, Lichfield City winning comfortably.
Further defeats at Shepshed Dynamo and Boldmere St. Michaels followed but some confidence was restored with a home win over Long Eaton United on Bank Holiday Monday.
Three weeks ago the Nailers slipped to defeat at Loughborough Students but bounced back to winning ways, Diego De Girolamo scoring one of the goals of the season in a 2-1 win at Mickleover.
The regular season concluded with a 4-3 home victory over Bourne Town on Saturday.
Appearances wise, only Curtis Burrows can lay claim to have played in every match this season, with Kieran Preston missing just the one.
In terms of goals, Kevin Bastos leads the way with 14 while Liam Moran has ten and Jacob Gratton nine. Jonathan Wafula sits on six alongside Diego De Girolamo with nine players on five goals or fewer.

Head to Head
The two sides have met on ten occasions, with the Nailers winning just once, a fantastic 4-2 FA Cup victory at Greenwich Avenue in 2016.
The list also includes a 7-1 Basford win in April 2017 and a 5-5 League Cup draw later that year at Belper.
This season in the NPL saw both matches drawn, 0-0 at Basford on a boiling hot Bank Holiday in August and 1-1 at Belper on a not so warm New Year's Day, Diego De Girolamo on the scoresheet for the Nailers.
Overall record for Belper: P 10 W 1 D 4 L 5 F 12 A 23.
(8 x NPL, 1 x FA Cup, 1 x League Cup

Form Guide (all competitive matches)
Basford United: WWDDWL
Belper Town: WLLWLWW

Team News
Full team news will be announced at 7:00pm

Permutations
The winner of the tie will face the winner of Carlton Town vs. Racing Club Warwick, with home advantage to the side who finished higher during the league season.

If the scores are level after 90 minutes, extra time (2 x 15 minutes) will be played and a penalty shootout if still level after that.

Match details
Basford United vs. Belper Town
Pitching In Northern Premier League Midlands Division
Playoff Semi-Final

Tuesday, 28th April 2026 - 7:45pm kick off

Greenwich Avenue
Nottingham
NG6 OLD

Admission prices: Adults £11, Concessions £8, Students £6, Unaccompanied U16s £5, Family of four (min. one U16) £25.
Children in Belper club wear £1.

Follow the match
Full coverage of the match:

• Audio commentary with Tom on Radio Belper Town
• Full text coverage on X and Facebook.
• Match reports on the website (all matches) and in the Non-League Paper (Saturday matches only)

NPL Midlands fixtures
Playoff Semi-Finals
Basford United vs. Belper Town
Carlton Town vs. Racing Club Warwick