Match Report: Belper Town vs. Stamford, 12th Nov 2011

With 19 goals scored in the three previous Northern Premier League encounters between the two sides, and both sides scoring and conceding freely this season, another game with plenty of goals was on the cards. It also had plenty of controversy.

 

Stamford took the lead after only three minutes. Nathan Watson had a good mazy run and his cross was headed out for a corner. Dan Barrett took it and Andy Toyne jumped in front of his marker to head home.

 

Belper’s first chance came from a poor pass by Barrett and two Belper passes gave Lee Whittington chance to take the ball into the Stamford box but a superbly timed tackle by Miles Chamberlain took the ball away. A minute later Mario Ziccardi came out for a long ball but didn’t make it giving Jon Froggatt an open goal but he shot straight at Joe Pheasant.

 

Bruno Holden did well to first hold the ball and then turn and play the ball into the box for Nick Ghislanzoni but the keeper was brave to dive at his feet and hold onto the ball. It was 2-0 on 21 minutes when Barrett had a good run down the left wing and his cross was misheaded by Michael Simpkins to Holden. He took the ball into the box, and under pressure from a defender, managed to squeeze the ball past the keeper and into the far corner.

 

Two minutes later it should have been 3-0 but Ghislanzoni completely missed another great cross from Barrett when all it needed was a tap in. Next a shot from Toyne took a deflection which bamboozled Andy Richmond in the Belper goal and, just as the ball looked to be going past him he reacted and shovelled it out for a corner.

 

Approaching the half hour and the first controversial moment when Ben Leonard elbowed Dan Steadman with the ball nowhere near. Unfortunately, both officials were following play and missed the incident saving Leonard from a certain red card.

 

While Steadman was being treated Barrett limped over for attention and very quickly physio Stuart Scott indicated he couldn’t continue and he was replaced by Jake Gibson

 

Another good run from Watson set up Luke Garton on the overlap. Ghislanzoni met Garton’s cross but his shot was turned over by Richmond. Belper had hardly been in the game but they had a good chance when a free kick was cleared only to Andy Rushbury but he pulled his shot well wide.

 

Soon after the next moment of controversy but one which went in Stamford’s favour when Toyne was floored when the ball hit him full in the face. By the time the referee had seen Toyne was prostrate and then stopped play, Belper had worked the ball into the Stamford area with Whittington about to shoot.

 

In the last couple of first half minutes Belper had a couple of chances but Froggatt wasted the first and a great intercept by Adam Hewitt on the far post stopped the other. Stamford thoroughly deserved their lead, and it could have been more, but the half time conversation was all about the missed red card.

 

Belper came out with much more determination but, against the run of play, Jake Gibson had the first chance of the second half. Richmond did well to get a hand to the ball and turn it past the post. Fifteen minutes into the half Hewitt conceded a free kick. It was great delivery by Luke Federenko, only just on as a substitute, and headed home by Leonard who was lucky still to be on the pitch.

 

Four minutes later and another controversial incident when Steadman and Damien Magee chased a ball over the Belper goal line. As they came back onto the pitch Magee clearly kicked Steadman. This time it was seen by the assistant but, with a red card expected, the referee chose only a caution.

 

Stamford restored their two goal lead on 66 minutes when a Miles Chamberlain header was blocked but the ball came to Toyne who fired home.

 

A minute later and it should have been 3-2 when Ziccardi came for another long ball and missed giving Froggatt a free header. He had only to hit the target to score but he managed to head wide. Next minute a thumping shot crashed off the Stamford bar and then Ziccardi did well to save the follow up shot.

 

Belper lifted their game again and Stamford were under almost continuous pressure. In a rare chance to get out of their half, it looked as if Toyne would get his hat trick when the ball came to him after a Richmond save but a defender got a foot in to block the goal bound shot. The ball was straight back up the other end Ziccardi saved well at the foot of the post.

 

With 8 minutes left, Froggatt turned and placed the shot wide of Ziccardi to make it 3-2 and set up a very nervy finish.

 

When Stamford could they got the ball forward quickly and a superb through ball from Harry Deane set up Kieran Watson, brother of Nathan, to chase but Richmond was quick to come out of the box and beat Watson to the ball.

 

Belper had two good chances in stoppage time to equalise but first Chamberlain blocked a shot for a corner and then, from the corner, the ball was headed across goal and past the far post.

 

Stamford had been forced to hang on in the second half but deserved the points after dominating the first. It had been another cracking game between the two sides and fortunately the result meant the two missed red cards didn’t matter.

 

Stamford: Mario Ziccardi, Luke Garton, Adam Hewitt, Joe Pheasant, Miles Chamberlain, Danny Steadman (Harry Deane 75), Nathan Watson, Andy Toyne, Bruno Holden, Nick Ghislanzoni (Kieran Watson 71), Danny Barrett (Jake Gibson 30).

Sub not used: Marcello Schiavone

 

Belper: Andy Richmond, Luke Chambers, Damien Magee, Deon Meikle, Richard Adams, Michael Simpkins (Alan O’Hare 46) Aaron Pride, Ben Leonard, Jon Froggatt ( Jordan Turner 46), Lee Whittington, Andy Rushbury (Luke Federenko 58).

Sub not used: Jamie Smith

 

MOTM: Andy Toyne

 

Attendance: 200

 

Photo's of the game are viewable HERE