Midlands Regional Alliance

Division 1

Monday 22nd May 2023

Kick Off 18.45 On Time!

Markeaton 0 Inter Belper 3, attendance 49

3’ 0-1

9’ 0-2

23’ 0-3

@ Alvaston Park

Meadow Lane

Alvaston

Derby

DE24 8QQ

No Admission or Programme.

It was good to still have a game with something on it, at least as far as the visitors go, with 9th hosting 3rd in the league table. Inter Belper trail leaders Hilton Harriers by 4 points (+ 38 GD) and second placed Bakewell Town Development by three (+39 GD) and have two games in hand on both. The top two still have to play each other again yet, so the title is very much a three horse race.

Inter Belper went in front after just three minutes, finishing from close range. Six minutes later it was 0-2, this time breaking down the left before a pass across the box was easily put away. Midway through the half it was 0-3 and game over, when a corner wasn’t cleared and was finally forced in at the third attempt. Markeaton did hit the crossbar early in the second half and had a volley tipped round the post late on, but the visitors were well worth the win.

The win sees Inter Belper move up to second in the table and perhaps more crucially their goal difference is now + 40, which could be the deciding factor in who takes the title come the end of the season.

The ground is in a huge park. Tonight’s game was played on a pitch in the area south east of the lake, the furthest of the two pitches there, the one beyond the artificial cricket wicket. Typically for a council set up the markings were barely visible. The pitch had been freshly mowed, but the cuttings hadn’t been removed!

Above : Now that’s what you call a proper grassroots crossbar!