Just a quick snap

I was sat in the lounge watching TV when I caught the sky out of the corner of my eye. Ran up stairs, grabbed the camera and snapped this shot of the sky above the neighbours digital aerial.

Lovely day

Scary Tree

A lovely Sunday yesterday - very hot so we decided to take a drive to Darley Park. To be perfectly honest there isn't too much there other than lots and lots of grass (not really surprising for a park I guess but you probably know what I mean). Started with an ice cream then a 5km walk around the cricket pitch, down by the river, round by the football pitches and back through Darley Abbey. I saw an interesting sign on the side of a house in Darley Abbey, stating that 'Stone throwing will be severely dealt with" makes you wonder what they did to those people who were caught in the act. Here are a couple more snaps I took on the walk, a scary looking tree (which has been Photoshopped) and a view of the Mills at Darley Abbey taken from Darley Abbey itself (also photoshopped somewhat). 

Darley Abbey Mills

Back on the bike today - and back to the original 7.5 mile circuit.  I wasn't really in the mood for it before setting off but eventually got into a rhythm and completed the circuit in 31.37 (which included a couple of delays behind cars which amounted to approx 30 seconds so it would have been down around the 31 minute mark without these). No long ride this week as we're off to Yorkshire for a few nights so might have to do a few extra miles on Wednesday night.

Tomorrow night the Nailers are at Lincoln United but have decided against the trip as it would involve a rush home from work, out again at 5:45, home at about 11pm and then up again at 5:50am for work. Maybe i'm just getting too old for this game !

A First Win

A huge sigh of relief went up at the Meadow at the sound of the final whistle yesterday as Belper recorded their first win of the season. Leaders Rainworth were in town but to be honest their two opening wins looked more like fortunate results than a team that is genuinely going to be challenging for promotion come April. Having said that we'd rather have been in their position than the 18th place we held at kick off. A cracking strike from 'veteran' Andy Rushbury (a 2nd half sub playing his 296th game for Belper Town) was the difference between the teams and that didn't arrive until the 86th minute. Photos can be seen here:

Belper v Rainworth

Joe Carter was in the Rainworth line up and had a superb game, keeping Ruben Wiggins-Thomas and Lee Morris quiet, although a foul on Lee went unpunished in the second half that really should have been a penalty. We think the ref chickened out of the penalty as he would have had to send Carts off as last man and that would have been very harsh.

Team Photo 2011/12

Jon Froggatt

Before the game the annual team photos were taken (see yesterdays post for more details). The players behaved themselves for a change and it all went off well. First I did the individual headshots for the programme and the papers and then I did the team picture.  Reviewing the photos afterwards I think there was just one player missing from today, Alan O'Hare, I'll have to catch up with him at a game in the future although he has missed his chance to be on the team photo for this season.

Also I took along my netbook as Tommy Taylor had asked for music to be played as the players came out and after each goal. As it turned out Nigel was doing the team line ups as they came out so no music there and no-one to play the music when the goal went in so all in all not a good day. Also there were endless moans from the fans about the music being too loud but what they didn't know was that Tommy T had asked for it to be loud as he thinks the ground is like a morgue ! I think I'll leave it at home next time. Having said that the next two games are away, Lincoln United on Tuesday night and Romulus on Saturday - will be missing that one as we're away for a few days over the bank holiday. Back in time for the game on Monday against local rivals Ilkeston though. Back to work and cycling between now and then all being well. 

Big Day Today

League leaders Rainworth (pronounced Ren-ath for some unknown reason) are in town. They have Joe Carter at full back so that adds a bit of spice to the game as Joe had a few weeks with Belper in pre season and is of course an ex-nailer, man and boy.

Before the game it's time for the Team Photo session which usually turns out to be about as much hard work as photographing a wedding - imagine about 20 testerone filled lads being asked to sit up straight and smile - it ain't gonna happen easily.

Update on these two events later.

Yesterday we went to the memorial Arboretum in Alrewas. We've been there a couple of times before but not for a while. Lovely day, nice and warm and not too many people about. Took the Olympus Pen and snapped a few shots, here are a couple of examples - s few more can be seen on the Flickr site.

It's an amazing place - anyone who hasn't been must pay a visit at some point in their lives - it shows the sacrifices that men and women have made (and are still making) over the years in the name of serving their country. A country that seems hell bent on destroying itself by means other than that of sending people off to war (although of course we are still doing that as well).

In the evening we went to the Yeaveley Arms for a lovely meal with two old friends Jan & Steve. I say old friends, they're not really old but we've known them for a long time (which by definition probably makes them old as well.

Between the visit to Alrewas and the meal I went out on the Old Iron Horse. Cycled to Little Eaton, back through the village onto the A6 and back through Duffield & Milford. It went well until the last 2 miles from the Morrisons island, which is up hill for the first mile or so. Just about made it to the top and eased home in a time of 49 minutes for the 12.5 miles. Quite pleased with that although the legs are a bit still this morning - definitely need to get a lighter bike for next year, better start saving up ! I'll update the outcome of the match later today or tomorrow.

Something Else I Forgot to Tell You

Last Friday we were in Belper town. After a spot of lunch we had a stroll up to the new OXFAM book and CD store that opened recently. We got as far as the Ritz Cinema at the top of King Street (a fantastic little cinema that was refurbed a few years back but retained it's 'olde worlde' charm, something that has long been lost with the onset of the multi-screens. Here is the Cinema in 1952 The Ritz 1952

I digress, we got to the cinema and outside was a mass of people. It soon became clear that there was some sort of filming going on - and not amateur by the look of the equipment. I took a snapshot on my phone but can't get it off at the moment to post here so bear with. We headed in to the OXFAM shop and overheard a conversation. The lady behind the counter had some sort of press release that had been given to the shopkeepers advising that they were filming a new Steve Coogan series called 'Starlings'. It's a new sit-com about a working class family who live in Matlock. We thought it would be good to see Belper and Matlock on the TV but according to tonights Derby Telegraph the show will appear on SKY 1 next August, so no chance of watching that then.

2nd Game of the Season

Last night saw Belper play their second league game of the season (and the first at home) against Brigg Town. Brigg turned out in a most unusual away kit - a very odd shade of green. No sign of the two brothers that normally follow the Zebras, Simon & Tim Harris. Possibly they couldn't make the trip as it was a Tuesday night game or they could have left the club after the big shake up of last season at the Hawthorns.

The Nailers started the game well (again) and took the lead after 17 minutes thanks to a rush of blood from the Brigg keeper, who came for a ball he was never going to get and Jamie Smith lobbed him for 1-0.

Deon Meikle clashes with Greg Archer

A nasty clash of heads (left) saw the Brigg centre half finish the game with his head swathed in bandages. Belpers Deon Meikle seemed to come off better but had to leave the field due to developing double vision. The paramedics came but thankfully he didn't need to go to hospital. His departure made a big difference to Belpers shape. Despite this Froggy made it 2-0 and the Nailers looked to be heading for their first win of the season. It wasn't to be as Brigg hit back and then a bizarre goal leveld the scores. A chip towards the back post saw keeper Andy Richmond retreating towards his goal then he seemed to slip and fall backwards as the ball dropped into the empty net. Brigg pushed on and it was a bit 'backs to the wall' finish as Belper held on for a point in the end. I can't say anything than it was a disappointing result for Belper but we have to think it's early days. And I refer you back to my post from the weekend when I said the Brigg game was a banker draw - why didn't I put some money on it ? The rest of the photographs are here:
Belper v Brigg Photos

On the cycling front I went out on Monday night after a pasta tea and felt good. Got round my 7.46 mile course in a best time of 31.36. Today was a different story - struggled due to heavy legs. Shortened the circuit to 7 miles and got round in 30 minutes but it was real hard work tonight. I plan to try and cycle out to Duffield and back along the A6 on Friday which should be  the longest ride since I got back on the bike.

A Game of Two Halves

Oh well, an opening day trip to Newcastle Town proved fruitless as the Nailers were beaten 2-0 although that scoreline certainly doesn't tell the whole story. Belper took the field for the first league game of the 2011/12 season in their new kit at the Lyme Valley Stadium. They dominated the majority of the first half and had three great chances. Firstly, last seasons 30 goal striker Jon Froggatt somehow missed what looked like an open goal, then RWT saw his point blank header saved by the keepers face (!) then Frogba hit the crossbar from a free kick with the keeper beaten. A 0-0 half-time score left us feeling positive for the 2nd half. Things didn't turn out quite as planned as first Tommy Hannigan conceded a penalty and then a 2nd strike from the same player saw us lose for the 2nd season running on the opening day. To be honest a draw would have been a fair result on the day but Belper didn't take their chances in the first half and seemed devoid of ideas in the 2nd. Newcastle will be pleased with their first game of the season but it could have been so different had even one of those first half chances been put away.

The weather was kind even if the clouds looked threatening throughout the first half. During the 2nd half the sun came out but it didn't shine for Belper today. The people at Newcastle made us very welcome and the fruit cake at half time was fantastic, so I guess it was only fair that we let them have the points.

Tuesday nights opponents Brigg lost 0-3 at home to Loughborough Dynamo today so there will be a lot of pressure on both sides to record their first win of the season. Chances are that is a banker for a draw - watch this space for the outcome of that one.

The rest of the photos from the game can be seen here:

Newcastle Town v Belper Town Photos