Pinxton FC held at Belper United

A 30-yard screamer from Jimmy Adcock put the visitors in to a slender lead before Ryan Wheatcroft struck back for the hosts late on.

Pinxton were without several key players for the trip and had to make three changes from last week’s X1 that beat Eastwood Community.

Jake Allen, Danny O’Donnell and James Senior, in his first start since September, replaced the injured Daniel Henshaw and Darren Bettison.

Kurtis Bamford was on holiday and the bench consisted of new recruit Ryan Cheetham, Daniel Henshaw and reserves Matty Robson and James Summers.

There was a strong wind against Pinxton in the first half but it didn’t seem to hinder them as they had the majority of possession, Belper’s infrequent forays forward swiftly nullified by the Pinxton back-line.

The tone of the game was set when an ordinary challenge by Senior was deemed worthy of a caution in the eighth minute of the game.

The referee was consistent in bringing the yellow card out another six times during the game, much to the frustration of the both benches.

Pinxton had a penalty claim soon after when Adcock, on the blind side of his marker, nipped in and took the ball off his toe as he was about to clear it.

The player cleaned Adcock up in the process and looked dejected, but he was smiling two seconds later though when the referee waved play on.

Pinxton had a succession of corners but could not capitalise on their dominance and when they did come close, home keeper Scott Whittingham was on hand to tip the ball over the bar from a Tom Ellis header.

The home team emerged for the second half with a spring in their step but Pinxton held firm, Madin and Allen snuffing out any potential threats.

Pinxton then forced a string of stops from the home keeper, the pick of the bunch was full back Farnsworth galloping forward to hit the post. The ball came back off the post and hit Whittingham on the head before rolling out of play.

The pressure finally paid off when Danny O’Donnell, who was beginning to take a foothold in the game, nearly put Ellis and Stubley through on a couple of occasions before Pinxton took the lead.

It was looking like it would have to be a wonder strike to beat man of the match Whittingham and Adcock obliged when he picked the ball up deep, turned the Belper defender inside out and struck a goal of the season contender into the top left corner from 30 yards out.

Belper made three substitutions and started to attack. Pinxton began to sit deeper and deeper to protect their lead and conceded with only three minutes remaining.

Ryan Wheatcroft made a dynamic run down the left hand side and as he reached the edge of the area, produced a curling left-footed effort, through a crowd and out of Brigg’s reach in to the net.

Pinxton had one last chance in the dying seconds, when a Nathan Hollingworth free-kick looked destined for the bottom corner but that man Whittingham was again on hand to tip the ball around the post.