LEEK STORM TO NEXT ROUND OF FA CUP

BELPER TOWN 2 LEEK TOWN 5

FA CUP PRELIMINARY ROUND AT CHRISTCHURCH MEADOWS

19 AUGUST 2023 --- 3PM

BELPER TOWN V LEEK TOWN AT CHRISTCHURCH MEADOW

Belper and Leek are only separated by the geographical split of the Northern Premier League but on the day the chasm was massive as Leek brushed away the Derbyshire side with a display that showed them as being fitter, sharper and more clinical in front of goal.  Belper were fortunate to be just one down at half time and after a brief rally to level it fired the visitors up to respond with four goals before a late reply from The Nailers.

TM TRAVEL 142 WITH NOTTS AND DERBY PLAXTON VOLVO

The first game of the season would see a return to some public transport and although there just wasn't time for the fish and chip review I guess some sort of normality had returned to proceedings, after a late start to the 23/24 due to a variety of reasons.

This was to be a let the bus connection decide your game with a five minute connection for one game it was always tight but with a Belper trip on stand by.  The connection didn't happen when The Comet arrived seven minutes down in Alfreton a town that has suffered like most others with a glut of shops closed and today the bus station bins overflowing onto the surrounding pavements adding to the feeling of melancholy around the place.  This may have been added to by the adjacent club advertising the appearance of veteran snooker player Tony Drago being one of the highlights of the calendar.

Having filled in the three quarters of an hour wait for the 142 TM Travel service to Belper for you spotters it was good to see a Volvo Plaxton bodied full size vehicle turn up in fellow group operators Notts and Derby green and blue livery.   

MARC GROCOTT RECEIVES THE PLAUDITS FOR HIS OPENING GOAL

The pleasure of a trip around the Amber Valley and Derbyshire Dales area was highlighted even more by this route taking in South Wingfield and then the picturesque Crich home of The Tramway village, an absolute gem, the village square alongside some evocative buildings that saw ITV make it Cardale and the home of its drama Peak Practice for a period of time in the 90s.  Moving through Fritchley down to Bullbridge and joining the A6 at Ambergate were the weather was fine enough for some cricket adjacent to The Hurt Arms.  Twisting and turning around the tight approach roads departure from the 142 was right by the mill and a short hop over the road saw us into Christchurch Meadows within a few minutes and with half an hour to go to kick off time to do a circuit and grab a picture of the team sheet.

CAMERON JOHNSON WEAVES HIS WAS INTO THE LEEK DEFENCE

Having covered Belper Town many times, including last season, I dont intend to describe the ground but needless to say this has to be one of the best appointed stadia for its level and always looks clean and tidy as aside to being well run.  It is though of note a mini cover as now gone up behind the goal at the far end since last season but the best advancement is a new scoreboard.  It is more than just a time and score monitor with the ability to post up player pictures etc that would make many Conference clubs envious, a super addition.

ROSS DAVIDSON EXPLAINS IT ALL TO REFEREE WAQAR AHMAD

It was a bright sunny day with a fair old breeze blowing down the ground and all looked set fair for a good entertaining cup tie.  Sadly by half time I was re calculating this theory Belper were dreadful and took half an hour to put together any team attack of note.  Leek looked stronger and fitter and as soon as Belper did get the ball it was square and backwards with a lack of interest in taking the ball forward this may have been to do with Leek squeezing up and closing down all space but how it needed a player in yellow to take on the opposition defence.

Somehow Leek only went in one goal to the good when Marc Grocott fired home a low edge of the box drive inside the left hand post after twenty one minutes.

OLD AND NEW MILL AND SCOREBOARD

The second half would see Belper gain an early upper hand and they looked to have made a game of it when they equalised fifteen minutes in with real determination from Cameron Johnson who dispossesed  the Leek defender on the byline, cut inside and rounded the defender before firing into the far corner of the visitors goal.  It was now all Belper and when Curtis Burrows struck the post Leek looked to be wobbling.

But Leek gradually got a grip and they were grateful to Belper defender Phil Watt who deflected a close range cross into his own goal to give Leek the lead again after 71 minutes.  Belper now collapsed as Leek regained their first half dominance when on 77 minutes Jake Avery smashed a glorious back post effort back across the goal and into the far top corner of the net to make it three and it was four with five minutes remaining when home keeper Jonathan Hedge could only parry the ball close in and Avery guided in for his second.

As we entered stoppage time the scoring continued when Leek went through Belper with a superb free flowing move that at the end saw Robert Stevenson weight a perfect  pass to Liam Buckley who ran on to fire through the legs of Hedge to make it five.  Watt headed a late second for Belper but by then it was all over and Leek had stormed into the next round.

BEN RHODES ATTACK HALTED 

With the return 142 at just shy of 5.30pm I did attempt to grab a tray of chips and a, for research purposes of course, fish but the queue was too long at the former George's fish bar, which is now I believe Nik's, and so it was return steps to The Mill for a return back through the picturesque scenery and to Alfreton a wait for the returning Comet ensued.   

A pleasure to visit Belper Town FC as ever alongside an enjoyable bus trip to the town the only thing missing was those fish and chips.

ALEX TROKE GETS A SHOT AWAY