Grant Black remains positive after Belper Town's start to season

Though disappointed to exit the FA Cup on Saturday, the Nailers are only a couple of points shy in the league of where Black and assistant Mick Norbury expected to be.

An opening day win over Morpeth was followed by defeats to Lincoln United and Gresley before a draw at Ossett United last time out in the Evo-Stik NPL East Division.

And, with consecutive home matches this week against second-placed Stamford and rock bottom Cleethorpes Town, Black remains in a positive frame of mind.

“We’ve played four league games and we’d have expected to be on six points by now,” he said. “We’re on four. We could have had nine. It depends how you look at it - glass half empty or glass half full.

“We’re looking at it with glass half full. We’re a couple of points away from where we’d like to have been at this stage of the season, before a ball had been kicked.”

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Belper Town’s FA Cup dream is over - match report

Belper were beaten 4-0 away at Romulus, of the Midlands Football League Premier Division, in the first round qualifying of the FA Cup on Saturday.

Black was disappointed with the first half showing of his troops but said the scoreline wasn’t a true reflection on the tie, as they were twice caught on the break.

“It was a game against a team who are classed as a league below us but they’re a very strong team,” he said.

“It was a game we felt we could go on in the cup. We had early chances and got a sucker-punch with one of their goals. We conceded a penalty straight after.

“We didn’t feel the final result reflected the game as such. At 2-0 we went to a 3-3-4 formation to try and get a goal back and they’ve caught us on the break.

“The scoreline was not a troubling issue for me, it was the first half.”

And added: “I felt at 2-0, if we’d have got one, we would have gone on and probably got a second, at least.

“But if you don’t nick that goal then you kind of leave yourself wide open. If you lose 4-0, 5-0, 6-0 or 1-0 you’re still out of the cup so for me, we might as well have a go at it.

“Overall, though, a disappointing afternoon.”