'The Wood' left frustrated despite improved display

Sherwood Colliery 0, Belper Town 1 (Rawson 16’)

Northern Premier League East, Monday, August 26

The Wood were without Jaz Goundry and Zander Duhameau through injury while Korpal dropped to the bench. In came Louis Pennington, Jamie York, and Ethan Wiesztort.

The Wood made a fast start and were almost rewarded with an early goal, Carter Widdowson’s shot was parried by Dan Moore, from the rebound Marley Grant’s header was hooked clear from off the line.

As the game settled, Belper made The Wood pay by scoring in the 16th minute, Luke Rawson’s fine header from Mason Warren’s cross was too good for Jordan Pierrepont. The Wood really should have levelled things on 25 minutes, Ewan Robson firing over the bar after breaking clear into the Belper penalty area.

The game as a spectacle saw The Wood content to drop deep and allow Belper the ball, limiting Town to ambitious long balls that The Wood looked to counter.

The second half saw much of the same, Belper seemingly having little in the way of guile to break down a determined home back line superbly marshalled by Brad Gascoigne and the equally impressive Carter Widdowson. That said The Wood were finding hard to mount attacking threats of their own but remained disciplined and in the game at only a goal down.

Pierrepont made a couple of regulation saves and Jack Broadhead went closet to a second goal for Belper, his looping header hitting the top of the crossbar.

At the other end, Moore made a good stop from Korpal whose firm effort was a little too close to the Town ‘keeper. Late on substitute Craig Mitchell saw a diving header superbly blocked to end The Wood’s hopes of salvaging a late point.

Manager Wayne Savage commented “We had a clear plan today and we almost carried it out. I must credit Belper for a good finish for their goal but apart from that we defended much better, and we were disciplined in and out of possession.

"We need to understand that we have to be clinical when chances to score come along”.

Sherwood Colliery Star Man (voted by the supporter’s club) – Carter Widdowson