Nailers ready to play catch-up

Belper Town manager Peter Duffield has admitted his Nailers are playing catch up in the league after their cup runs.

The Nailers are third from bottom in Evo-Stik NPL First Division South and are away to Loughborough in the league on Saturday but Duffield believes they’re showing the right spirit to climb the table.

Belper's manager, pictured, insists he’s delighted by the way his team bounced back from their 5-1 FA Cup replay thrashing at home to Ilkeston last week to come back from two goals down in the FA Trophy last Saturday and force a replay with Leamington tomorrow [Tuesday] night.

Duffield said: "Cup successes tend to have an adverse effect on league placing and we will now have to play catch up and get some points on the board. We have played five games against superior opposition and lost just once so we need to take that confidence and form into our league fixtures.

"I was annoyed and frustrated after last Tuesday’s [FA Cup] game because I felt that some of my players let me down and threw in the towel and I don’t expect to see anything like that from a team I manage. But to be fair I did get a positive reaction, firstly at training on Thursday and again on Saturday where I thought to some extent they redeemed themselves with a positive performance against a strong side from a higher division.

"I was heartbroken to be 2-0 down at half time because we certainly didn’t deserve it, and there was no ranting and raving in the dressing room because we were effectively dominating the game and they had two shots resulting in two goals.

"As I’ve said after every recent cup tie that we’ve got a replay from, it won’t be any easier at Leamington, but we can go there knowing we can match them in most areas and if we play well then we are capable of getting through."

Duffield also thanked Ilkeston boss Kevin Wilson for his part in Saturday’s 2-2 draw after he allowed goalsorer Andrew Osei-Siribour to join the Nailers on a short–term loan until 27 October.

The striker started the fightback after the break and Duffield added: "I want to place on record my thanks to Kevin Wilson [Ilkeston manager] for his help in pushing through Andrew’s loan arrangement.

"We could have had him three weeks ago but when two clubs were drawn together in the FA Cup we had to wait until everything was settled. He’s got lightening pace, something we don’t have in abundance, and he scored a well taken goal to get us back on track on Saturday."

Elsewhere, the Nailers’ reserve side had an impressive 6-2 victory away at Dinnington Town reserves last Saturday and cemented their place at the top of the Central Midland League Supreme Reserve Division. This coming Saturday they are at home to Eastwood Town reserves.