BELPER 2

UniBond First Division

NIGEL Gleghorn enjoys playing against Belper.

He scored two goals against the Derbyshire side on his debut in December and doubled that total with two crucial goals on Saturday.

A barnstorming end to a riveting game saw three goals scored in the last 10 minutes with Gleghorn adding his second of the game and 11th of the season two minutes into injury time to give Witton a deserved point.

Gleghorn, a makeshift striker since the departure of Marc Hawkes and Mike Turner, has now scored 10 league goals in 12 starts. And against Belper it was clear his eye for goal was needed on a day when David Anane left his scoring boots at home.

Belper took the lead in the first half through Richard Cope.

But despite mounting pressure Albion didn't equalise until the 80th minute. Eddie Bishop did well to control a Charlie Boyd pass in midfield before slipping a lovely pass through for Gleghorn, who had ghosted into the penalty area.

The former Man City star turned and clincically slotted his shot inside Mark Wilson's left hand post.

Albion's joy was shortlived though. Two minutes later and an uncharacteristic mistake from captain Brian Pritchard saw his poor header fall into the path of substitute Carl Cunningham.

He had time to pick his spot to regain the lead for the home side. From kick-off Eddie Bishop tried an audacious effort from just inside the Belper half but his shot drifted just wide of the post.

Two minutes into injury time and Gleghorn struck. Gary Cooley produced a battling run from defence before releasing Lee Cox to the by-line. His high cross into the area was half cleared only for Gleghorn to power a shot into the net from the edge of the box.

It was a fitting end to an entertaining game but in the opening 20 minutes alone both sides could have had three goals apiece.

After nine minutes Richard Harrison headed a Lee Cox effort from the edge of the box off the line following a Boyd corner. Two minutes later and Gleghorn released Anane for a one-on-one with Wilson but the pacy striker's shot was saved comfortably.

At the other end Russ Mays missed the first in a host of chances after finding himself unmarked in the area. Indeed, Mays and Anane could have contested their own miss of the match contest, Anane firing wide after being put clean through on 19 minutes.

Instead, it was Belper defender Richard Cope who led by example in the 24th minute by side-footing the home side into the lead after good work on the wing by Brendan Morgan.

The one downside for Albion was Neil Lloyd's booking on 73 minutes, Witton's first in eight matches

Witton: McGing, Anderson, Cooley, Pritchard (c), Gee, Bishop, Garforth (Lloyd 55), Boyd, Cox, Anane (Comley-Excell 63), Gleghorn. Not used: Whitehead.

Att: 238. Ref: M Short (Grantham), MoM: Nigel Gleghorn.

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