Nailers cruise past Holbrook

Colin Marrision celebrates his hat trick goal, a wonderful strike from 25 yards (Photo: Darren Holden)

Sports, who had eliminated the Nailers on two occasions in the last three seasons at the same stage never looked like repeating the feat for a third time, and all credit to Peter Duffield’s team who approached the game in a very professional manner.

With Glyn Cotton’s surprise departure to Frickley Athletic last week, Ben Leonard was given a starting slot in the centre of midfield, and Richard Adams retained his place in the back four.

Holbrook, who had beaten Market Deeping in the previous round to set up this tie with their local rivals were put under pressure from the off and Richard Adams was unlucky to see his 5th minute header deflected on to the cross bar.

Simon Harrison helped to calm Belper nerves when he set up the first goal on 6 minutes after some good work on the right flank resulted in a cross that came out to Colin Marrison, who made certain from 10 yards out.

Jordan Ball looked set to add a second on 11 minutes but a subtle shove from Jordan Gregory went unnoticed by the referee while the Belper striker went sprawling inside the penalty area.

Ashley Longstaff did well to forge an opening that led to the second goal in the 12th minute and once again Colin Marrison picked up the rebound from Longstaff’s cross to drill the ball past Scott Whittingham.

Jordan Ball showed excellent control and struck a fine effort from distance that Whittingham saved, and as the Nailers noticeably relaxed a little, Sports had their best spell of the game.

Cory Bowler linked up well with veteran striker Aaron Brady, a former Belper player, but Brady could only send his cross straight at Aaron Chapman when the were better options available to him.

Then Phil Granville hit a fairly tame free kick straight at the Belper ’keeper on 27 minutes, and Cory Bowler had Sports best shot of the half when he struck a great effort from 20 yards that had Chapman clawing the ball over the cross bar.

The Nailers regained control of proceedings in the final minutes of the half and produced some very good football around the edge of the opposition penalty area, and in the 43rd minute Colin Marrison completed a fine hat-trick with a rising shot from 20 yards that went in off the underside of the cross bar.

Any hopes that Holbrook had of getting back into the tie were extinguished early in the second half when Ashley Longstaff stooped to head in Simon Harrison’s free kick at the far post, and from then on it was only a case of how may goals the Nailers would get.

In the 50th minute a fairly innocuous challenge on Jordan Ball by Jordan Gregory produced a delayed penalty award from the referee and Colin Marrison stepped up guide the ball home from the spot.

Sports provided one the best goals of the afternoon when Gavin Whitehead hit an absolute bullet of a free kick from the edge of the area in the 54th minute, but this was never going to be a springboard for a Brookies’ revival as the Nailers continued to dominate play.

A niggly spell mid way through the half culminated in Vaughan Hallsworth’s dismissal for a two footed tackle in the 68th minute, then as the game entered added on time, Jordan Ball scored a deserved goal when he snapped up a close range opportunity from 8 yards.

Scott Whittingham produced the best save of the tie when he got to a excellent Jordan Turner shot from 25 yards in the last minute, but it was the Nailers who gained sweet revenge after their last two disappointments and now go on to face Matlock Town in the next round.

Holbrook Sports: Whittingham, Whitehead (Gibson 89), Mather, Stones, Gregory (Riley 56), Moran, Granville (Ridgard 45), Corrigan, Brady, Hallsworth, Bowler. Unused subs: Graves, Revan, Jinks, Nadin,

Belper Town: Chapman, Pride, Wright, Leonard, White (Colley 60), Adams, Harrison, Warne, Longstaff (Turner 70), Ball, Marrison (Mallon 80). Unused subs: Rushbury, Gowing, Forbes, Ratcliffe.

Referee: Lisa Rashid (Birmingham)

Att: 204