Men's 2nd XI Vs Belper 4

With the 100% win record lost the previous week, lifting a little bit of pressure, South looked ahead to arguably their toughest game of the season so far against Belper 4's. It was a cold afternoon in Derbyshire and South with just a bare 11, had received sound advice from the Captain - mostly asking that everyone continues to have fun playing the game.

The game got off to an explosive start with South quickly looking rattled and Belper three goeals in front following successive goals. The captain and the experienced centre backs (BB, NB) called for calm and shape amongst the team - which duly followed. Following some excellent passing play starting at the back and carrying on through the midfield, ED dummied an attempt to get on the end of an incoming ball (so he says..) but SC was waiting in the wings to slot the ball home and bring it back to 3-1.

The game continued to flow and several cries of "ouch" could be heard from the returning keeper (SR) as shots and short corners continued to fly in from the Belper attack. South held out well with some more excellent defending from CL and AH, but Belper kept coming and by half time they had scored a couple more.

Half time team talk was reminding everybody that possession, hard passing and lots of movement was the key and putting this plan into action saw South get more into the game, with SC and MS running up and down the wings and GP and AS combining in the middle to open up the game and create a few chances. A South short corner followed with the Belper runner flattening GP and with no foul having been committed according to the umpires (huh?!) Belper ran to the opposite end of the field and slotted into the back of the net.

The game carried on and South were still giving it everything they had, created some more chances and another short corner. Belper continued as they had done throughout the game and soon had another goal under their belts. South were starting to look tired, but every one in the team continued to do his bit as the cold got even colder. The last few minutes of the game saw Belper scoring two more goals which felt a little unfair on South given the effort they had put into the game (including ED running back to our own end to cut out a pass to an advancing Belper defender who otherwise would have been unmarked) and wasn't really a reflection of how South had managed to largely handle and contain the pressure Belper had been piling on.

This was always going to be a tough game, but heads were held high and the game was played throughout with the same spirit that has come to be expected of a South Nottingham team.

Final Score: Belper 4's 9-1 South Nottingham 2's

Thanks Leon solid supporting and reporting from the injury bench!