Nailers fall to defeat at home to Chasetown

PHOTO | Josh Woodward goes close with a first half header (Pic: Mike Smith)

The form guide suggested this was always going to be a close encounter with Belper boasting the best home record in the division. Whilst Chasetown were unbeaten in their last eleven games as well as maintaining the league’s best away form.

It was an underwhelming first half from both sides. But one man stood out from the rest and that player was Brodie Litchfield. In the fifth minute Litchfield’s corner was only cleared as far as Karl Demidh who smashed his half volley just wide of the goal.

Josh Woodcock came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 14th minute after Litchfield produced some quick footwork on the wing. When he proceeded to dink the ball into the back-post, Josh Woodcock came diving in and Curtis Pond got low quickly to his header to deny the Nailers, the right back followed up the chance with another diving header that went narrowly wide of the target.

The closest Chasetown came to breaking the deadlock in the first half came in the final minute after a mix up between Riece Bertram and Ollie Battersby gave Jack Langston a practically open net. The midfielder was unable to adjust his feet in time and his attempt bobbled wide of the target.

In the 66th minute another Bertram and Battersby mix up had more serious consequences as it gifted Chasetown the opening goal of the game.

The Belper defender headed a lofted clearance beyond his own keeper which gave Joey Butlin the perfect opportunity to tap the ball into the open net.

The Nailers pushed forward in search of an equaliser which unfortunately left them vulnerable to counter attacks.

And in the 88th minute Belper were punished. Butlin spotted a free Liam Kirton on the right wing; the winger quickly shifted the ball onto his right foot and he smashed his shot across the goal to make it 2:0 to the Scholars.

This didn’t crush the Nailers’ spirit and the boys fought to the last minute. Litchfield nearly scored a wonder goal in the 90th minute when he picked up the ball 30 yards out from goal; the winger smashed his shot low and hard but Pond dived quickly down to his right to deny Belper yet again.

This disappointing result still leaves the Nailers in a rather promising second place in the league only one point of table toppers Ilkeston town who also fell to defeat this weekend.

Belper Town: Battersby, Woodcock (Goode 64), Rhodes (Leake-Blunt 71), Waldram, Bertram, Wilson, Litchfield, Mancinelli, South, Demidh, King (Nelthorpe 78). Unused subs: Peterson, Jordan

Chasetown: Pond, McGinnel, Foster, Taylor, Wynter, Hayward, Kirton, Langston, Butlin, O’Callaghan, Atherton (Evans85). Unused subs: Burrows, Shaw, Read, Zazi

Referee: Farai Hallam

Attendance: 509