The Opposition - Key Facts
Full name: Lichfield City Football Club
Nickname: City
Founded: 1970
Ground: City Ground, Lichfield
Capacity: 1,500
Chairman: Darren Leaver
Manager: Ivor Green (since March 2020)
Last season: 1st/18 (Midland League Premier Division (promoted))
Journey distance: 30 miles

The Opposition - History
The original Lichfield City joined the Birmingham Combination in 1923, but left after two seasons. The modern club was established in 1970 as Lichfield Football Club and joined Division One B of the West Midlands (Regional) League in 1976. They were placed in Division One the following season when the league was reorganised and remained in the division until being relegated to Division Two at the end of the 1985–86 season. The club were Division Two runners-up in 1989–90, earning promotion back to Division One. In 1994 they were renamed Lichfield City. Their first season under the new name saw the club finish as runners-up in Division One, earning promotion to the Premier Division.

Despite finishing in mid-table in their first season in the Premier Division, Lichfield resigned from the league and became a Sunday league team. They returned to Saturday football when the club joined Division Three of the Midland Combination in 2008. Despite only finishing fifth in the division in 2008–09, they were promoted to Division Two. In 2010–11 the club won the league's Challenge Vase with a 2–1 win over Continental Star Reserves in the final. They also finished fourth in the division, earning promotion to Division One. Another fourth-place finish the following season led to them being promoted to the Premier Division.

In 2014 the Midland Combination merged with the Midland Alliance to form the Midland League, with Lichfield placed in Division One. In 2021 the club were promoted to the Premier Division based on their results in the abandoned 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons. They won the JW Hunt Cup in 2022–23, defeating OJM 3–0 in the final. They retained the cup the following season, beating Wolverhampton Sporting 3–1 in the final. The club were also runners-up in the Midland League Premier Division, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. After beating Highgate United 3–1 in the semi-finals, they lost 3–1 to Darlaston Town (1874) in the final.

The 2024–25 season saw the club crowned Midland League Premier Division champions, winning promotion to Step Four for the first time in the club's history.

(Source - Wikipedia)

The Opposition - This Season
City started the season with two defeats but then went five unbeaten before two further setbacks.
They suffered two heavy defeats in October but won three of their next four.
A run of one win in 12 matches saw them slip from 5th to 15th but they come into the match today off the back of three wins in a row - most recently a comprehensive home victory over Basford United last weekend.

League (10th/22): P 36 W 14 D 9 L 13 F 39 A 43 Pts. 51
Cups: P 3 W 0 D 1 L 2 F 4 A 7 (Based on 90 minutes)
FA Cup: Exited at Extra Preliminary Round (Hanley Town)
FA Trophy: Exited at First Qualifying Round (Corby Town)
County Cup: Exited at Second Round (Stafford Rangers)

Top goalscorers (NPL only): Jack Edwards (7)
Most minutes played (NPL only): Jack Edwards (3,136), Brendon Bunn (2,974)
Biggest victory: 3-0 vs. Basford United (21st March)
Heaviest defeat: 1-6 vs. Loughborough Students (11th October)
Highest home attendance: 427 vs. Sutton Coldfield Town (25th August)
Average home attendance (NPL): 268 (11th/22)
Most consecutive wins: 3
Most games without a win: 6
Most consecutive defeats: 6
Most games without a defeat: 5

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, last weekend saw a disappointing home defeat to Sutton Coldfield Town.
However a great win at AFC Rushden & Diamonds during the week means the Nailers come into the match today with two wins out of three.
Appearances wise, only Curtis Burrows can now lay claim to have played in every match this season, with Kevin Bastos and Kieran Preston missing just the one.
In terms of goals, Bastos leads the way with ten, closely followed by Liam Moran and Jacob Gratton with nine. Jonathan Wafula has five, the same number as Jacob Fenton secured before his move away from the Raygar Stadium while four players sit on four goals. A further five players have three goals or fewer.

Head to Head
The meeting between the sides back in August was a first competitive one.
Tom Brown gave Lichfield the lead but Kevin Bastos equalised almost immediately and the points were shared.
Overall record for Belper: P 1 W 0 D 1 L 0 F 1 A 1 (NPL Step 4)

Form Guide (all competitive matches)
Belper Town: DLDWLW
Lichfield City: DLDWWW

Team News
Full team news will be announced at 2:15pm.

Permutations
Tuesday's win means the Nailers will stay in the playoff positions no matter the result today.
We will leapfrog Basford United into 3rd if we win and they fail to. This would also likely keep us above Coleshill Town, they are on the same points but 12 goals back. They will take our place if they better our result and can also go above Basford.
Carlton Town and Anstey Nomads are 20 and 15 points ahead respectively and will almost certainly finish as the top two in some order.
For the visitors, a win could take them as high as 6th if other results go their way, while if defeated the most they can drop is one place to 11th but even this would require a Corby Town win and six goal swing.

Match details
Belper Town vs. Lichfield City
Pitching In Northern Premier League Midlands Division

Saturday, 28th March 2026 - 3:00pm kick off

Raygar Stadium
Bridge Street
Belper
Derbyshire
DE56 1BA

Admission prices: Adults £11, Concessions £7, U16s £0
Please note U16s must be accompanied by a paying adult if they do not hold a BTFC Season Ticket or Youth Membership.

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
There's a massive clash at the top as Anstey Nomads welcome Basford United.
League leaders Carlton Town can take another step towards the title as they entertain Loughborough Students, with just two away wins to their name this season in the NPL.

(2nd) Anstey Nomads vs. Basford United (3rd)
(18th) Bedworth United vs. AFC Rushden & Diamonds (9th)
(4th) Belper Town vs. Lichfield City (10th)
(1st) Carlton Town vs. Loughborough Students (20th)
(5th) Coleshill Town vs. Coventry Sphinx (17th)
(11th) Corby Town vs. Rugby Town (22nd)
(13th) Mickleover FC vs. Boldmere St. Michaels (14th)
(16th) Rugby Borough vs. St. Neots Town (21st)
(8th) Shepshed Dynamo vs. Long Eaton United (12th)
(15th) Sutton Coldfield Town vs. Racing Club Warwick (7th)
(6th) Wellingborough Town vs. Bourne Town (19th)