Intergro League Cup 3rd Round
Christchurch Meadow, Belper
Tuesday, 11th December 2018, 7.45pm
Belper Progress
There were mixed feelings for Gresley manager Gary Norton after this game. A change of formation saw his side play arguably some of their better football for a while against a strong Belper side but another defeat was the down side to the evening.
Norton was without Eric Graves, Jamie Barrett and Lucas Harrison but for a little over 80 minutes his side held their own just tiring enough at the end to allow Belper to score two late goals.
In an even first half chances were at a premium for both sides with Kane Lee, Jordan Nadat and Martin Smyth firing wide. However, Belper had a good chance to take the lead on 19 minutes. A corner swung in from the left by Danny Gordon somehow missed the diving head of a Town player at the far post.
On 35 minutes Smyth had the best of all the chances but his shot was pushed away off the line by keeper Leigh Overton and the rebound cleared.
Second half began with Nadat firing a shot from the left over the bar. The game was still not providing any clear-cut chances for either side but Gordon went closest for Belper when his well struck shot flew just wide of Gresley keeper Oliver Fairbrother’s far post.
Gresley were visibly tiring as the game appeared to heading for penalties but were caught by two late quick goals.
The first came on 81 minutes when a long ball found Alex Peterson at the far post. Whether his header was meant to go in the net or back into box for a team mate only he will know but the ball looped over Fairbrother and into the goal.
The second goal came two minutes later when a cross was headed, by Nathan Curtis, towards Fairbrother’s far corner somehow beating the keeper diving to his left.
Nearly all of the few Gresley faithful who made the trip to Belper will not be too upset to go out of this competition with the long midweek journeys remaining for the teams progressing.
