BARGATE BELPER TWO GROUNDS IN A DAY

BARGATE ROVERS ABND HOLBROOK ST MICHAELS ABND [BARGATE LEADING 1-0]

DERBYSHIRE FA DIVISIONAL CUP SOUTH AT MANOR REC

5 NOVEMBER 2022 --- 1.30PM

AND

BELPER TOWN 1 GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY 4

NPL PREMIER DIVISION AT CHRISTCHURCH MEADOWS

5 NOVEMBER 2022 --- 3PM

LEWIS MANGHAM PENALTY SAVE BUT HE DID FORCE A SECOND REBOUND HOME IN BELPER TOWN V GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY

A disjointed day with a serious injury in what was to be the feature game at Bargate Rovers leading to the games abandonment was followed by a first visit for a good while to Belper Town as the replacement game with the later kick off, with The Nailers on the end of a 4-1 loss against a clinical Gainsborough side.

So in the week building up the study of fixtures showed a collection of appetising county cup games in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, in the latter category non more so than Mansfield Hosiery Mills v Mansfield Hosiery Mills Reserves a strange pairing.  In the Derbyshire element of the county competition quite a few CMFL sides found strong opponents in Hope Valley clubs so there was a selection that tempted me one way then the other.  But the over riding star of the bunch would be a first visit to Bargate for their match against their village neighbours Holbrook St Michael pitting MRA v CMFL.

BELPER FROM KIRK'S LANE

The game would mean a trip on The Comet bus with the option of changing in Ripley onto another bus or departing at Kilburn cross roads for a half an hour walk to Manor Rec on The Parks Estate Belper, just down the road from Bargate itself and to aid the 'walk and a game' this was the option that came to be.  Walking the busy road to Openwoodgate allowed for the option to take Kirk's Lane connecting to the estate that housed the ground.

Once again it was a dark and murky day but this pretty little former lane offers some lovely panoramic views towards Belper although todays was clearly affected by the weather.  The ground itself is very much a council recreation pitch but the club had made valiant efforts to put up respect ropes to protect the linesmen and an area for club officials and subs marked out.  They had also put in place a gazebo for the collection of home supporters that seem to support both home and away with the club, they certainly took a few to Sleetmoor the other week. 

SHANE BURROWS [RIGHT] CELEBRATES HIS WONDER STRIKE THAT GAVE BARGATE THE LEAD

The club and referee kindly allowed a quick photograph of the team sheets and walking to the pitch side there was a further nice touch with a donation tea bar, so clearly a club who want to try to do a few little extras on a match day.  Holbrook is just a mile up the road and the two clubs had met in a pre season friendly but this was clearly eagerly anticipated probably more so by Bargate than Holbrook.  

The whole area around Belper offers up a wide selection of non league fixtures of a weekend with three clubs in Holbrook, Inter Belper, Belper United, Inter Belper and of course Bargate so there is no shortage of options in this hot bed of non league footy.

By the time we got to kick off there was approaching 100 gathered to watch in what was now not just murky but down right dark skies thankfully the showery stuff was holding off but as ever it was making pictures difficult for the whole afternoon.

BARGATE DEFEND A HOLBROOK CORNER

Bargate would find themselves kicking down the slope towards the changing rooms and it was keenly contested as Holbrook looked to build up some pressure that would be overturned by the sheer force of Bargate attacking down the incline urged on by the vociferous crowd.   

It would be the home side who took the lead after just eleven minutes when they were awarded a free kick 25 yards out.  It was Connor Mason who saw his strike take a 2 way deflection and the ball fell out to Shane Burrows who on the right hand side of the box turned and hit the most remarkable cross goal shot that struck the underside of the bar and then the far post before nestling in the back of the Holbrook net, a strike to grace any occasion never mind this one.

Then the incident that saw the game abandoned came on 22 minutes when on the half way line the home sides Jordan Butcher went down and immediately he knew something was wrong referee Chris Petcu stopped the game and an ambulance was called while the player was covered with blankets to keep warm.  Never a nice sight but this seemed to have come from nowhere and hopefully he can make a speedy recovery.

MILL, SCOREBOARD, CLUB SHOP, CHURCH AND NEW STAND GREAT PANORAMIC AT BELPER

After about fifteen minutes I could hear no ambulance and if it was a serious injury the player even then would not be moved for a while so a decision had to be made to leave because it looked unlikely that the game would continue through ever fading light.

This would be the second week running that Bargate would suffer an abandonment the previous weeks home fixture met the same outcome after a opposition disciplinary issue during the game.

While planning this during the week there was always a fear of the game being called off late if the rain came heavily and so I was aware that down in Belper Christchurch Meadow would feature Town v Gainsborough Trinity in an NPL Premier Division game at 3pm.

So after around ten past two the decision was taken to walk through Belper Park Nature Reserve into the Market Place and through the town to arrive just before 2.30pm.

IMPRESSIVE MAIN STAND AT CHRISTCHURCH MEADOW

This superb ground which I have covered in a previous blog has just moved on not just one step but many in the last few years, with a new stand behind the town end goal adding to the already smart main stand.  Everything about their organisation signals to a well run club from, from programme to club shop and from catering to the just overall tidy nature of this picturesque ground.  Indeed one of the additional catering facilities now runs by the catchy name of  The Pies The Limit.  A very healthy crowd had gathered [548] and although Belper are finding life hard in the top league the club is star shining bright off the field.

MINUTES APPLAUSE BEFORE KICK OFF

A respectful minutes applause for a former player was excellently observed before the action could start and it was the home side who would take the lead from the penalty spot after Brodie Litchfield was brought down, Luke Mangham saw his pushed back into his path by Trinity keeper Matt Yates his follow up hit the post and once again rebounded to him and this time he made no mistake, 11 minutes.

Gainsborough were level also from the penalty spot Clayton Donaldson and Harry Lewis combined before the latter went one on one with the keeper his lob fell wide as home keeper Dan Moore wiped him out and referee Ben Robinson pointed to the spot and it would be Donaldson who made no mistake with the kick.  

The visitors would go into the break 2-1 to the good again Lewis and Donaldson combined the formers effort was blocked with the latter making no mistake for his second of the half.

GO ON JUST TURN ROUND FOR ONE PICTURE

 

The second period saw a hard working Gainsborough keep Belper at bay and for all their possession they could not break down a resolute defence.  Fast and sharp in attack though the visitors would add two further goals.  First on 65 minutes a ball that flew across the goal found Harry Lewis at the back post who made no mistake to fire home before with ten minutes remaining when the impressive  Donaldson registered his hat trick when he drove home Gainsborough's fourth.

Having watched a lot of  step 7 and 8 sides over the last few seasons it was nice to get back to an excellent ground like Christchurch Meadow.  The game was fast and furious with clearly some very sharp players involved but I also found myself really appreciating the grassroots of grassroots football I have been watching.

It was a shame the injury led to the curtailment of an enthralling cup tie up the road at Bargate but you can only wish the player a quick recovery and hopefully a return to football soon.

Now a dark bonfire evening saw a return by bus to Ripley with a connection on The Comet back to base stop and from leaving the ground that was a achieved in a efficient one hour ten minutes.

THERES A FEW BEERS GOING DOWN THERE