Belper Town beaten at Sutton Coldfield after poor performance
Belper Town lost their second pre-season game 2-0 after a disappointing performance against Sutton Coldfield at Coles Lane.
Paulo Aguas’ sending off midway through the second half didn’t help the Belper cause as both Royals goals came in the last fifteen minutes.
With Nathan Whitehead and Curtis Burrows absent through injury the Nailers brought in Lavell King for his first game in the right back position while Brodie Litchfield started after missing out at Barwell.
Having performed well on a 3G surface in their last two games, the Nailers found it harder going against Sutton Coldfield.
The Royals looked at home on their pitch, judging the pace and bounce of the ball well, while Belper never regained the zip they had enjoyed at Mickleover and Barwell.
The first half was devoid of goalmouth incident as the ball spent most of the time between the two penalty areas.A 3rd minute shot from Luke Rawson went straight to the ‘keeper and Dan Moore pushed over a fierce drive just before the half time whistle.
The second half produced more attractive fare and Rawson went close with a left foot shot that went just over the bar in the 50th minute.
Harry Draper volleyed wide from 10 yards after Rawson knocked the ball back to him, and with Keaton August and Nat Crofts on the field as half time substitutes, the Nailers looked the team most likely to score.
The tables turned on Aguas’s red card on 68 minutes but not before Rawson had fizzed in a low drive from 25 yards which the ‘keeper collected at the second attempt.
Belper looked wide open at the back on 76 minutes when the Royals tapped in an easy goal, but the Nailers could have levelled on 79 minutes when August put a great cross in that Rawson deflected over the bar.
Confusion in the Nailers rearguard let in the Royals for their second goal on 83 minutes, and there was a sense of disappointment in the crowd which contained many Nailers fans.