Liversedge (H) - Tuesday 8th October 2024

The Opposition - History
When Liversedge Rugby Club ceased to exist in 1910, Liversedge FC were formed.
Within a decade they were Bradford League champions and then went on to dominate the West Riding County Amateur League, with three titles in the 1920s. A further two were added in the 1960s.
They moved to the Yorkshire League in 1972 and they won Division Three immediately. They reached Division One before the League merged with the Midland League.
Like Belper and many other opponents this season, Sedge joined the Northern Counties East League, created by this merger in 1982.
A runners-up spot in Division One didn't bring promotion because of a lack of floodlights at the ground. They made up for this the following season.
At this point the club had still never been relegated and after narrowly missing out on the NCEL Premier Division they won the West Riding County Cup in 1990.
Fast forward to 2005 and the Clayborn slope was removed, giving a new look to the ground and the playing surface was levelled with the assistance of funds from the FA Cup run the previous season (they reached the Fourth Qualifying Round before losing to Coalville).
The NCEL League Cup was secured in 2006 but this time the changing rooms not being up to standard was the reason for missing out on promotion.
In 2020 they were well on course for promotion to the NPL before Covid hit and history looked like repeating itself the following season before a points-per-game system was introduced which took them to the NPL for the first time.
They won the league in their first season, reaching the Premier Division - Step 3.
Sedge suffered their first relegation the season before last, resulting in a drop back to the NPL East.
(Source: Liversedge FC website)

The Opposition - This Season
Sedge struggled at the start of the season, with an FA Cup defeat to Silsden being followed by an NPL opening day reversal at Garforth Town.
A couple of draws followed before defeat at home to Cleethorpes Town.
They picked up an impressive win on the road at Bradford (Park Avenue) but three successive defeats at home came after that.
However they come into this fixture unbeaten in three - wins over Brighouse Town and Newton Aycliffe without conceding and a 2-2 draw at Carlton on Saturday.

They currently sit 9th: P 10 W 3 D 3 L 4 F 15 A 14 Pts. 12.

A journey of around 68 miles awaits them this evening.

Ryan Toulson is currently Interim Manager following the departure of Jonathan Rimmington on the 24th of September.
Jack Dyche and Joe Walton lead the scoring charts with three each while three players have two goals and a further four players a single goal each.

The Nailers
Belper come into the match in impressive form, having won five of their last six and scoring at least twice in each of those victories.
The last Saturday in September saw a late win grabbed at Ossett and before that the Nailers had impressed at Kidsgrove in the FA Trophy.
Previously a home defeat to Cleethorpes ended a good mini-run which had seen victories over Boldmere St. Michaels and North Ferriby.
At the weekend it was victory over Hinckley LRFC in the FA Trophy.
So far this season Harry Draper sits top of the scoring charts with nine while Nat Crofts has four and Jacob Gratton picked up three before his move to Worksop and Keaton August has two. A further seven players have a single goal each.

Head to Head
The two teams first met in the 1991/92 season and they were both thrilling encounters.
In Yorkshire, the hosts ran out 3-2 winners before Belper got revenge back at Christchurch Meadows with a 4-3 victory. Neil Cawthorne and Mick Goddard scored for the Nailers in both matches.
Belper won both matches played in 1993, with Clive Woolley hitting two penalties to help secure a 4-0 victory just before Christmas.
Liversedge bounced back to win at home in March 1994 before Belper went on a six match unbeaten run in the fixture, conceding only two goals in the process.
From February 1997, the two clubs didn't meet for another 25 years when they both landed in the NPL Premier Division during the 22/23 season.
The game at Belper finished 0-1 but the Nailers won at the Clayborn Ground 3-1 with the goals coming from Greaves, Wilson and a Harry Middleton penalty.
Last season, with both teams back in Division One East a Phil Watt goal was enough to earn Belper three points at the Raygar Stadium while the Nailers won 2-0 at Clayborn late in the season.
Overall from a Belper perspective, the record in the fixture is: P16 W 11 D 1 L 4 F 32 A 15.
12 of the encounters came in the NCEL Premier Division, with the last four in the NPL.

Form Guide (all comps)
Belper Town: WWLWWW
Liversedge: LLLWWD

Team News
Paulo Aguas is an injury doubt.
Harry Draper is suspended.

Permutations
Belper could go top if they win and Emley lose - their superior goal difference means a draw will be enough for them.
North Ferriby could catch the Nailers if they win their game this evening and we don't win ours.
A win for Liversedge could lift them a couple of places to 7th but if Cleethorpes pick up a point or more at Pontefract they can only move up one place.

Match details
Belper Town vs. Liversedge
Northern Premier League Division One East
Tuesday, 8th October 2024 - 7:45pm kick off
Raygar Stadium
Bridge Street
Belper
Derbyshire
DE56 1BA
Tickets: Adults £11, Concessions (under 16 and 60+) £7, Under 11 (with paying adult) £0

Follow the match
Live commentary is available with Tom on Radio Belper Town - https://radiobelpertown.mixlr.com
Full coverage on X (Twitter). Team news, HT & FT scores on Facebook.
Match reports to follow on the website and in the Non-League Paper.

NPL East fixtures

Tuesday
Belper Town vs. Liversedge
Emley vs. Sherwood Colliery
Pontefract Collieries vs. Cleethorpes Town
Sheffield FC vs. North Ferriby

Wednesday
Grimsby Borough vs. Carlton Town
Heaton Stannington vs. Garforth Town
Stocksbridge Park Steels vs. Bradford (Park Avenue)