JC Balls Belper 1st XV 32 v Chesterfield 1st XV 0
Belper welcomed a Chesterfield side down to Strutts Fields following 2 victories over the bottom team of the Midland 6 league. However it proved not to be a simple stroll in the park as the visitors were treating this cup match as a serious way of finishing their season with a piece of glory.

Playing with the sun behind them Belper started well but played a little panicky with the ball being forced through the hands a little too fast by the backs, as the forwards kept setting a solid platform to work from. Belper opened the scoring after 5 minutes when England picked up at 8 in the scrum, drew his tackler and popped out to Meakin who in turn released Blackwell who stepped past his opposite number and popped the ball back into Inns who set off on a trade mark smashing run from just inside the 22. With Tennick screaming at him to pop the ball wide Inns simply drove through 3 tacklers to go over right of the posts in front of the clubhouse. 5-0

Chesterfield came back at Belper and pressed deep into Belper's half, trying to muscle over but with Holmes, Inns and England tackling hard from the back row and Ogorman, Booth and Byard in the backs pressing in defence, Chesterfield started making mistakes. Belper scored their next try following good work in the forwards. Holmes stopping a Chesterfield attack in its tracks and Dakin ripping the ball from the attacker then passing the ball out to England who set off down field outpacing 2 defenders then crashing into contact and passing the ball off his right shoulder with Blackwell taking the ball well and hitting Gray with a 30 yard spin pass, Gray outpaced his opposite numbe to dive in at the corner 10-0

With seconds left in the half, following another Chesterfield barrage of pressure aided by some strange reffing decisions Belper tackled their way out of trouble and kicked the ball downfield. As Chesterfield's winger collected the ball deep in his 22 Byard and Tennick hit him hard knocking him backwards and Dakin picked up to dance his way past 3 tacklers to score under the posts, Booth slotted the kick to give Belper a 17-0 half time lead

Words of encouragement from coaches Barden, Robinson and Boyd rallied the troops and encouraged the players to keep focussed on the game rather than the niggly punches and decisions which seemed to be going against them.

Belper knocked on from the kick-off and found themselves under pressure with the scrum being adjudged to have been collapsed by Belper. Chesterfield then kicked the resulting penalty into the corner and won the line-out, then for about 15minutes Chesterfield threw everthing short of a crooked spire at Belper but they held firm with Hayward, Woodward and Dakin smashing players backwards time and time again. Holmes and Inns kept foraging for ball on the floor prior to rucks being formed and Belper's hard work in defence turned the game back their way when a clearing kick down field was kicked into touch, the resulting line-out was won by Adams, Meakin spread the ball quickly out through the backs to Booth who proceeded to step, turn and accelerate over the line to score a superb individually finished try 22-0

Belper battled hard with Chesterfield who managed to wind themselves up and despite late hits and sneaky punches the young heads of Belper kept their cool as the visitors lost the plot in places and Belper notched up a further 2 tries from Dakin and Man of the Match Woodward. Dakin crashed over following good work from Holmes, the ball being sent wide to Blackwell who looked to spread the ball wide but instead sneaked it back inside to the on running Dakin who crashed over 27-0 and Woodward finished the scoring with a show of pace and power which wouldn't usually be associated with a prop. Belper won a scrum on the visitor's 10 metre line, then the ball went wide into the backs, Ogorman crashed into contact and popped the ball up to Woodward on the 22 who proceeded to run through 2 tacklers and outpace a 3rd then run over the top of a 4th to score in the corner giving Belper a respectful 32-0 win despite having so much against them in a hard earned win

Coach Barden praised the team for their togetherness and told them to now concentrate on preparing themselves for the tough visit from Tupton next saturday 3pm ko at Strutts Fields