Belper Town reach second cup final of season
BELPER Town are celebrating reaching a second cup final of the season after making a remarkable comeback against Skelmersdale United in the President's Cup.
Two very late goals from Anthony Wilson sealed victory for the Nailers after it was beginning to look as though the UniBond Division One North hosts would edge Belper out by the odd-goal-in-three.
And the Nailers now have another chance of silverware having already reached the final of the Derbyshire Senior Cup where they will face A6 local derby rivals Matlock Town at Pride Park on Tuesday, April 20.
Joint manager Danny Hudson was delighted with his team's second half turnaround and reflected: "It just goes to show how unpredictable football can be. We had a much better second half and created some good opportunities without getting the run of the ball, which has been our problem recently.
"But Ollie Ryan's cross was perfect for Ant Wilson and we were back on level terms."
"We had some good fortune with the winner but we showed great character and determination and deserved it overall, and we are hoping that we can now get back on track in the league as well."
The Nailers managed to stop their run of defeats at Shepshed Dynamo last Tuesday evening, returning with a point froma ground where they normally have very little success.
Hudson added: "I've been there quite a few times with different clubs and have never ever left with anything until last week.
"We've never found it easy at the Dovecote but I thought we played well at times and when they put pressure on us late on we defended solidly."
Hudson remains confident that a play-off place is well within Belper's grasp despite barely clinging on to a place in the top five this weekend.
He said: "We are still well placed with ten games to go, but clearly there's very little room for slip-ups even though some of the teams around us have been dropping points as well as us.
"We will need to win at least six of them and we reckon that's well within our capabilities because we can pick up points just as easily away from home as well as Christchurch Meadow."
Mark Barnard made his long-awaited return to first team football after undergoing cruciate knee ligament surgery last summer and looked as though he had never been away.
He has certainly timed his arrival well as the Nailers needed a steadying influence within the back four after looking a little jittery in recent weeks.
Barnard's return gives the management more options at the back because although the Nailers have strength in depth in other areas of the field, defenders are a little thin on the ground.
James Colliver has been playing with a groin injury and he was replaced on Saturday with Richard Adams who looked more at home in the centre of defence than he did at left back.
There was a new player on view last Saturday with defender Tom Naylor making his debut in the second half after signing on a permanent basis from Blue Square (Conference) North side Harrogate Town.
The victory made it a first game to remember and he almost scored with a tremendous effort that the Skelmersdale 'keeper saved brilliantly and he generally showed up well in his first appearance for the Nailers.
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Weather for Belper
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
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