WhiteBallProject » Ilkeston v Belper : Sat 30 Jul (Friendly) ko 3pm

Matchman · 29/7/2022 7:52 AM

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Tomorrow is our final pre-season friendly against our Derbyshire neighbours Belper Town.

Belper won promotion to Step 3 last season after beating Stamford and Chasetown in the playoffs

We were placed in the Southern League and Belper were placed in the Northern Premier League

If this game is anything like the Boston game, you won't want to miss it.

Last edited by Matchman (29/7/2022 7:56 AM)

Matchman · 29/7/2022 12:48 PM

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Belper have had a very successful pre-season so far :

Jul 02 Rainworth MW (A) won 4-0
Jul 09 Armthorpe Welfare (A) won 4-0
Jul16 Handsworth (A) won 2-1
Jul 20 Stocksbridge PS (A) won 4-2
Jul23 Tadcaster Albion (A) won 1-0
Jul26 Burton Albion (H) draw 0-0

Matchman · 30/7/2022 8:56 AM

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As pre-season friendly matches go the Boston United match was far superior to the others and it should be another competitive match against Belper Town

This is the last chance for players to stake their claim for a place in the starting lineup at Tamworth so it should be a competitive game.

Will Martin Carruthers play what he thinks is his best team? I think he may.

Match updates here as usual

Last edited by Matchman (30/7/2022 8:59 AM)

Matchman · 30/7/2022 11:08 AM

Some really good posts on Supporters Facebook page re team selection. It’s good to see and shows that we all have different opinions. The point is that we have a really strong squad so some are going to be disappointed. It’s up to each player to show that they deserve to be in the team. After a few league games we will have a better idea of who are our best players at this level.
Meanwhile let’s get behind the team today against Belper

Matchman · 30/7/2022 1:44 PM

Ilkeston team:
1. Deeney 2. K Thomas 3. Brown-Hill 4. Troke 5. Bradley 6. Fenton (C) 7. J Thomas 8. Bird 9. O’Grady 10. Gibson 11. Wakefield
Substitutes: Campbell, Goodson, Hilton, Bukowski.

Belper team
1 Durrant, 2 Rhodes, 3 Lobley, 4 Middleton, 5 South, 6 Jordan,7 Middleton, 8 Wilson, 9 Gibson, 10 Litchfield, 11 Kingsley.
GK Culverwell, 12 Dixon, 14 Robson, 15 Ben Morris, 16 Trialist, 17 Trialist.

Last edited by Matchman (30/7/2022 1:52 PM)

Matchman · 30/7/2022 2:00 PM

It's another thin attendance for our final friendly. Welcome back to the NMG for Ross Durrant, Kyle Dixon and Ben Morris.
The teams are out. Belper are in all white and Ilkeston are in all blue.

*Team change: Ilkeston No 7 is now Zak Goodson in place of Jack Thomas

We're 0ff .....

Last edited by Matchman (30/7/2022 2:01 PM)

Matchman · 30/7/2022 2:08 PM

Jamie ward just sat in the stand and was asked if he was injured.
All the play is in the Belper half up to now but no opportunities. Wakefield plays in Goodson but Durrant is out to smother the ball. 0-0 7 mins

Last edited by Matchman (30/7/2022 2:08 PM)

Matchman · 30/7/2022 2:16 PM

Belper given a free kick 3 yds outside area and central. This is a chance. Its fired over the bar. Good defending by Belper's Jordan. 0-0 16 mins

Matchman · 30/7/2022 2:26 PM

NOW ilkeston free kick similar to Belper's. Fenton hits it against the wall.
Montel wis a corner. Good Ilkeston move but Durrant collects. Montel tests Durrant and its a good save. 0-0 25 mins

Matchman · 30/7/2022 2:32 PM

Ilkeston are on top but not creating. Brown-Hill shot goes over. Campbell and Jack Thomas replace Gibson and Bird on 30 minutes

Matchman · 30/7/2022 2:42 PM

Fenton now replaced by Bird, on 37 mins. Good header by O'Grady is saved. Ilkeston are dominant and Some good passing but no end product so far. 0-0 41 mins

Matchman · 30/7/2022 2:46 PM

Half time 0-0

Matchman · 30/7/2022 3:02 PM

Second half is underway

Matchman · 30/7/2022 3:05 PM

Yellow card for Jack Thomas after he catches Belper's Rhodes.
Goal for Belper Brodie Litchfield on 49 minutes. 0-1

Matchman · 30/7/2022 3:11 PM

Close to an ilkeston leveller but Remaye is offside. Big push by Ilkeston for an equaliser . Great feet by O'Grady but Ollie's cross is cut out. Troke's free kick is deflected behind. Belper are hanging on now
0-1 55mins

Matchman · 30/7/2022 3:17 PM

Robson replaces Kingsley for Belper. Ilkeston are piling up corners. Belper penalty appeal is turned down following a counter attack. O'Grady replaced by Montel Gibson on 61 mins

Matchman · 30/7/2022 3:20 PM

The ref is not allowing the substitution. What the ..????? There's a hold up now The ref isn't allowing Montel to come on. So O'Grady stays on Carruthers is not at all happy.

Matchman · 30/7/2022 3:25 PM

Ilkeston continue to press and Belper defend in depth. It got Belper through the playoffs
Kyle Dixon comes on for Belper on 69 mins 0-1

Matchman · 30/7/2022 3:29 PM

Bird effort deflected for a corner . Desperate defending by Belper. Durrant replaced by Caulderwell 0-1 74 mins

Matchman · 30/7/2022 3:33 PM

Zak's effort is way too high. Kalern Thomas replaced by Tom Hilton on 77 mins

Matchman · 30/7/2022 3:37 PM

Another Ilkeston corner. Bradley heads it back across goal when he should have aimed at goal.
Still 0-1 82 min s

Matchman · 30/7/2022 3:41 PM

Belper know how to defend. they're comfortable.

Matchman · 30/7/2022 6:09 PM

O'Grady wins a corner. Zak wins a corner. Terrific effort by Jack Thomas but it hits a defender and flies over the bar.
It's been one way traffic but Belper win . It' s only a friendly but it's still an annoying defeat.

Result : Ilkeston 0 Belper 1

Matchman · 30/7/2022 7:32 PM

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Sat 30th July 2021
Ilkeston Town 0 Belper Town 1
Ilkeston’s final pre-season friendly ended in defeat after a goal by Brodie Litchfield just after half time proved to be the winner.
Despite most of the play being in the Belper half Ilkeston couldn’t find a way past the their solid defence. Charlie Wakefield played in Zak Goodson on 7 minutes but Ross Durrant was off his line quickly to smoother the ball. Durrant then did well to save a full blooded shot from Montel Gibson and a Chris O’Grady header.
Belper were to surprise Ilkeston after the interval when Litchfield latched onto a defensive error, rounded Saul Deeney and placed the ball into the empty net. The next 15 minutes saw Ilkeston put Belper under intense pressure but the visitors survived everything thrown at them. Belper had a shout for a penalty but it was mostly one way traffic towards the Belper goal. Despite their domination Ilkeston couldn’t find a way past Belper’s massed defence.

Matchman · 30/7/2022 8:16 PM

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Well that's the pre-season games out of the way so now we can look forward to the real thing.
We may not like the way Belper play but for them it's been effective and it got them promotion.
Anyway like it or not we have to deal with teams that play that way. It's always disappointing to lose a game that you've totally dominated n terms of possession.

One thing that came out of the Belper match was that without Montel on the pitch, we didn't look much of a threat. Strange the ref didn't allow Montel to come on as a substitute in the second half. Matin Carruthers was not happy and he asked Wayne Hallcro to do the after match interview

Personally I'm still not 100% sure what our best starting eleven is. i can remember last season's first match at Stamford. It wasn't the starting eleven we expected but we got the result,

Today we were without either of our centre backs ie, Ben Turner and Marshall Willock. . Jamie Ward didn't play. Neither did Ben O'Hanlon or Billy Bennett. Wayne Hallcro said that some players had niggling injuries and were left out rather than risking their injuries get worse.

Last edited by Matchman (30/7/2022 8:48 PM)

WhiteBallProject · 30/7/2022 11:03 PM

REF STEALS THE SHOW AS ROBINS DRAW A BLANK

Ilkeston Town 0

Belper Town 1
Litchfield 48’

Ilkeston Town entertained local rivals Belper Town but allowed the visitors to return to the River Derwent with a well deserved win courtesy of a second half goal from Brodie Litchfield.

A tentative opening to the game found both sides finding it difficult to create chances despite some intricate and neat passing moves from both teams. Montel Gibson did manage to hit a post on 8 minutes but was flagged off-side. Belper enjoyed a short spell of pressure on 10 minutes but failed to cause Saul Deeney too many problems.

Ilkeston made the first of their planned substitutions on 30 minutes but were forced to bring Jared Bird back into the action on 36 minutes when captain Kieran Fenton picked up a knock.

At the break neither teams had looked too likely to break the deadlock so it was surprise on 48 minutes when Brodie Litchfield latched on to a through ball that outwitted the Robin rear-guard then rounded Deeney to coolly slot home to give the visitors the lead.

Ilkeston responded showing greater urgency but still failed to produce the quality cross or final ball that could breach a well organised Belper defence. To remedy this the Robins attempted to introduce Gibson back into the fray only for the befuddled referee to not allow the substitutions as it was breaking FA rules. Several minutes were lost explaining to the bemused official that he had already allowed Bird to come back on in the first half. Bizarrely the ref stuck to his guns and managed to upset most of the players and fans alike.

The incident was unfortunately possibly the highlight of a dour second half in which Ilkeston ended with Alex Troke playing at centre back. Belper saw out the half without looking like they would lose their slender and even had time to bring on Ex Robins Kyle Dixon and Ben Morris.

Ilkeston will be looking to nurse back to fitness the numerous players who have been carrying knocks in time for their first League fixture away at Tamworth next Saturday. They will be looking to recapture the form they showed in the second half against Boston and put the unfortunate incidents caused by the hapless referee behind them.

Ilkeston Town :- Deeney, Thomas K, Brown-Hill, Troke, Bradley, Fenton, Ward, Goodson, Bird, O’Grady, Gibson and Wakefield Subs Campbell, Thomas J, Hilton and Bukowski

Belper Town:- Durrant, Rhodes, Lobly, Middleton B, South, Jordan, Middleton H, Wilson, Gibson, Litchfield and Kingsley. Subs Dixon, Culverwell, Robson, Morris, Triallist A and Triallist B.

Matchman · 31/7/2022 11:55 AM

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And a very fair match report From Belper

NAILERS MAINTAIN UNBEATEN PRE-SEASON WITH WIN AT ILKESTON
BY NIGEL OLDRINI

Belper Town remained undefeated in their pre season campaign and gained their 6th successive away victory by beating Ilkeston by a single goal.In terms of possession the Nailers were a clear second best but despite dominating most of the play, the Robins hardly ever came close to scoring.

With Luke Mangham and Josh Woodcock unavailable the Nailers were still able to field a strong side but such is the strength of the Robins, Belper spent much of the game in their own half.

Ross Durrant, back on his own stomping ground was soon in action in the 7th minute as he came out quickly to snuff out the danger posed by Chris O’Grady who was chasing a pass through the Belper defence.

The Nailers improved for a short spell and were given the opportunity for a free shot on on goal from the edge of the penalty area but Harry Middleton struck the ball just over the cross bar.

The Robins were awarded a similar opportunity on 21 minutes when they were awarded a free kick just outside the box, however the Belper defensive wall did its job by blocking Kieran Fenton’s shot.

Durrant was called into action on 26 minutes when he got down to Montel Gibson’s angled drive and just before half time the Nailers created a good opportunity after some great work from Brodie Lichfield. His cross to the far post was misjudged by Ben Rhodes despite being unmarked.

The Nailers stunned their hosts by taking the lead on 49 minutes. After winning the ball back in midfield Litchfield was well placed to take it forward; side stepping Deeney and rolling the ball into the empty net.

The effect of the goal was akin to stirring a hornets nest and Ilkeston set about Belper straight from the restart, but despite pinging the ball impressively all over the pitch, they couldn’t create anything inside the penalty area. A lengthy delay while the referee dealt with an unhappy Robins’ manager Martin Carruthers, regarding substitutions, probably undermined the home team’s efforts in the long run.

The Nailers defended stoically for the remainder of the half with sporadic forays into the Ilkeston penalty area, and from one of these, Danny South shot straight at the ‘keeper on 71 minutes.The Nailers also had a good shout for penalty when Litchfield was bundled over in the box, but the referee wasn’t interested.

Belper will be very pleased with this victory on a ground where they haven't always had the best of fortune.

Ilkeston Town: Deeney, Thomas K, Brown-Hill, Troke, Bradley, Fenton, Thomas J, Bird, O’Grady, Gibson, Wakefield. Subs: Campbell, Goodson, Hilton, Bukowski.
Belper Town: Durrant (Culverwell 72), Rhodes (Barrass 77), Lobley, Middleton B (Morris 77) South, Jordan, Middleton H (Dixon 67), Wilson, Gibson, Litchfield (Trialist 72), Hinsley (Robson 57).
Referee: Reece Davis

Matchman · 31/7/2022 7:02 PM

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Wayne Hallcro's thoughts following yesterday's pre-season defeat to Belper Town.

https://youtu.be/_igdKLonNJg