FC United aim to continue title charge as they travel to basement boys Belper

Second-place FC United are looking to continue their Evo-Stik Premier Division title challenge with a ninth consecutive league victory on Saturday as they travel to Derbyshire to take on bottom club Belper Town.

A fantastic unbeaten run has seen the confidence-oozing Reds move up to second in the league - five points behind leaders Skelmersdale United, with seven games in hand. It’s been a very different story for our opponents. The Nailers have gone 13 games without victory, have lost eight of their last 10 matches and are rooted to the bottom of the table. The last time our hosts won a match was against Stamford on 18 November, which coincidentally was the same week that FC United last lost a league match.

The Nailers have won just three league matches all season, have drawn nine times and have been defeated 20 times. However, the Reds cannot afford to take Belper lightly, having already failed to beat them earlier this season. Back in August, Tom Greaves scored a last minute equaliser to rescue a 2-2 draw at Bower Fold. Mike Norton had put the Reds ahead midway through the second half but two bits of sloppy defending allowed the visitors to go 2-1 in front before Greaves ensured a share of the spoils. FC United manager Karl Marginson will be expecting better tomorrow.

Margy will be without Norton for several weeks as the striker had to undergo a knee operation on Friday whilst Matt Walwyn may need longer to recover from a hamstring strain. Meanwhile, Greg Daniels and Callum Byrne will both be hoping for a return to the starting XI after impressing as substitutes in the 3-0 win over promotion rivals Ashton United on Tuesday night.

With Belper’s standing in the table, Margy may be tempted to rest Greaves, with the 20-goal-a-season striker taking a place on the bench as he has done against lower placed teams in recent weeks. However, with Ilkeston, Ashton, Workington, and Buxton all within three points of the Reds, there is no room for any slip-ups.

Belper may be struggling this season but they were no strangers to success in 2014. The Nailers won promotion from the Northern Premier League Division One South via the play-offs after finishing fourth. Established in 1883, they have a long and proud history, with the club being resurrected four times after folding. They played Sheffield Wednesday at home in the First Round Proper of the FA Cup in 1887, losing 3-2. Unfortunately, since then the club has never progressed beyond the Preliminary Rounds of the competition.

Belper versus FC United of Manchester is this Saturday at Christchurch Meadow, Bridge Street, Belper with a traditional and supporter friendly kick-off time of three o’clock. The match is pay on the gate with admission prices as £9 for adults, £5 for concessions and children under-14 go free when accompanied by an adult.

Get yourself to that football ground!