Heanor travelled to Grimsby to face Cleethorpes Town at their shared home, the home of Grimsby Borough FC.
On a wet, miserable afternoon all spectators hoped that the excitement from the match would keep their minds off the terrible weather, unfortunately that didn’t happen, not in the first half.
It was an even affair until Heanor started trying to force the play, sending ten men forward to attack a free kick left them wide open at the back with Jack Debnam, the tricky winger, taking full advantage curling his shot towards Heanors goal after the home side broke clear. Fortunately his shot crashed off the post and away to safety.
It was the same player who broke away on twenty minutes, both Sam Jones and Strzyzewski stopped running when tracking the player, giving him a free run at goal, blasting his shot high and wide.
On twenty five minutes giant forward Gary Ricketts flicked the ball on to Courey Grantham, the lightening quick feet of Grantham brought the save from Steer in the net.
The resulting corner, as did all Heanor set pieces on the day, came to nothing.
Cleethorpes’ Cooper fired goalward on 35 minutes, his curling lob shot finding the relieved hands of Ian Deakin.
A minute later Sam Jones fired goalwards, his effort going a yard wide of the target, leaving Steer untroubled.
It was on 41 minutes that Cleethorpes got the only goal of the game, Debnam make a superb run across the back line to get on the end of a cross, finding himself unmarker it was easy pickings to smash the ball into the roof of the net.

It was obvious to all that something needed changing and it brought the half time substitution, Kieran Debrouwer joined the play to make his first contribution to NCEL football this season at the expense of Paulo Piliero.
Five minutes into the second half it was Grantham who broke free, being tracked by the defender made him think twice, delaying his shot until it was took late and missing the target.
On 59 minutes Shaw was brought into the action, replacing Strzyzewski who had been playing on the left side of defence.
That substitution was followed soon after by the introduction of Nathan Benger, debutant Daniel Booth being the player replaced.
On 72 minutes the Heanor supporters were celebrating the equaliser, Ricketts had tapped home at the far post, unfortunately the eagle eyed linesman spotted something untoward and flagged frantically for a Cleethorpes free kick.
Soon after, Cleethorpes replaced their goalkeeper. Steer had bravely saved at the feet of Ricketts, the ball clearly being there to be won, unfortunately it was Steer who came off the worse, attempting to continue before gesturing to the bench that Beattie should replace him.
77 minutes had passed when Debrouwer made one of his trademark charges towards goal, keeping the ball under close control until close to goal, he fired goalwards with enough pace to find the bottom corner, it sadly rolled past the outside of the post.
The partnership of Debrouwer and Benger worked so well last season, they have both spoken openly about how they manage to find each other so well. Debrouwer lobbed a pass towards Benger who saw his powerful header flash by the post and to safety.
The final chance for either side came in the 84th minute, Ady Hawes rose like a salmon to meet a Shaw free kick and glanced the ball wide of the goal. It seemed easier to score.

An all-round frustrating performance against a good Cleethorpes side.
No excuses can be made for the amount of shots going wide of the target and for defenders not picking up their forwards.

Heanor: Deakin, Marriott, Strzyzewski (Shaw 59), Hall ©, Henshaw, Hawes, Grantham, Booth (Benger 71), Ricketts, Jones, Piliero (Debrouwer HT).
Subs not used: Rogers, Raven.

Attendance: 151
Referee: Matt McGrath