Gedling MW 3-2 Belper United

Gedling Miners Welfare produced an impressively determined performance to twice come from behind to beat Belper United 3-2 at Plains Road on Tuesday night.

Both sides started well and had an early chance. Oliver Papworth’s snap shot almost caught the Belper ‘keeper out but it went just wide of the target. Whilst the visitors went close through Ryan Baker who tried his luck from the edge of the area but brought a smart save from Matthew Simpson who helped it over the bar.

Just over twenty minutes in, Belper conjured another good opportunity, when a dangerous cross picked out James Ozmen but the forward could only head the ball straight into Simpson’s arms.

With the clock ticking past the half hour mark the visitors found a breakthrough. Callum Thompson produced a sharp finish from just inside the box after good work from Baker in the build up.

However, Gedling came roaring back and were level within two minutes. A powerful run from Greg Tempest saw him drive deep into the Belper half and find Ruben Wiggins-Thomas. He laid the ball off to Papworth just inside the area and he found the bottom corner with a great finish.

The Miners almost took the lead with half time nearing. Niall Hylton drilled the ball across the face of the goal but no one in yellow could get a touch on it and the ball bounced away from danger.

At the start of the second half, Gedling were in the ascendancy and created a raft of chances. Craig Meakin lashed a shot over the bar from the edge of the area, before Papworth put a Tempest delivery narrowly over. Tempest himself then saw his own shot well saved.

However, Gedling were made to pay for their wastefulness in front of goal when on the hour mark the referee awarded Belper a penalty for a foul on Ozmen.

Kieran O’Connell stepped up, found the bottom corner, and sent Simpson the wrong way to restore the visitors’ lead.

In an exact mirror image of the first half Gedling shrugged off the setback to level almost immediately. Tempest whipped a free kick into the box and Charlie Roberts rose highest to head it into the back of the net.

Gedling were lifted by this response and went ahead in the 71st minute. Another fantastic Tempest delivery was nodded home, this time by Felix Hogg, to give Gedling the lead for the first time int the match.

From this point, Gedling managed the game well and even had chances to extent their lead with Papworth having a seemingly goalbound effort blocked by what looked to be the arm of a defender, however, the referee was unmoved.

At the full time whistle there were jubilant celebrations as Gedling made it back to back league victories and secured a notable win over a side currently sitting just outside the playoff places.