UP NEXT, after putting a stop to the recent rot, the miners are on their midweek travels to Coronation Park in Eastwood. Here, they will face another of the clubs in the division without a home as they face Belper United, tenants of Eastwood CFC.

Kimberley will feel that they are coming out of a dip in form after taking a point at the weekend after four defeats previously. After a very strong start to the season, this blip in November needs to be well and truly banished if they are to get back on track and stay in the promotion race until the end of the season.

Belper United’s recent form can also be considered inconsistent in November, having won twice, lost twice and drawn a match albeit against league leaders Boston Town. With two defeats in a row, Belper will be keen to take all three points at home under the lights.

On Saturday, Kimberley welcomed bottom side Newark & Sherwood United to Basford’s Greenwich Avenue. A penalty for each side in the second half sealed a 1-1 draw as the visitors opened the scoring through Luke White before Fin Ryder equalised from the spot in the last fifteen minutes of the match.

Belper made the long trip to the seaside to face Skegness Town on Saturday. You could be forgiven for thinking they went up on Friday night and spent the evening around the bars of Skegness as they were comprehensively beaten the next day. Keaton August scored Belper’s only goal in a first half tat saw Skegness smash five goals past them and added one more in the second half to run away 6-1 winners.

LAST TIME AROUND

At the end of August, Kimberley welcomed Belper United to their temporary home at Basford United's Greenwich Avenue. Kole “The Goal” Lambert, on his return after holiday opened the scoring after just two minutes, volleying in from close range after a great cross from Finn Ryder. Kole doubled the lead twelve minutes later after latching onto a neat through ball from Dan Tuck to finish from close range at the near post. Belper grabbed a goal back on the stroke of half time as Jay Bruce scored with a bicycle kick from twelve yards out after a good cross into the box. The half time goal gave Belper some confidence and they came out and dominated much of the second half as Kimberley seemed to take the foot off the gas somewhat. It took until the 85th minute for Larell King to give Belper what they thought was a point until Kole struck again for his hat trick and the winning goal just three minutes later. New signing, the returning Dan Davy played Kole through, for the striker to grab his seventh of the season from eight yards out. Full time 3-2 to Kimberley.

Last season, the two sides last met in February as Kimberley were battling against relegation, while Belper were losing in the chase for the playoffs. Jay Bruce opened the scoring for Belper. Lewis Partridge equalised, only for Kyle Bryant to restore Belpers lead on the stroke of half time. Kimberley dominated the second half and took all three points as sub Matt Moffatt equalised and Finn Ryder sealed the win with seventeen minutes to go. KMW 3-2 Belper United

The away trip was in mid August at Coronation Park in Eastwood. Belper scored three in the first half to take the points. Goals came from Lewis Belgrave and two for Jack Thatcher. Lewis Weaver bagged two for Kimberley.

Last season, the two sides last met in January of this year at Coronation Park. Kai Moore opened the scoring for Belper in first half added time. A brace from Devante Reittie was enough to take the points for Belper as a goal from Sam Brown and a late consolation from Jordan Alls were all that Kimberley could come back with.

Earlier in the 2023-24 season, Kimberley romped to a 4-0 win at the Stag Ground with goals from Sam Brown, Aaron Coyle and two from Tom Eccleshall.

A LITTLE ABOUT THE OPPOSITION

Belper United was established in 1921. By the late 1970s the club was playing in the East Midlands Regional League. They were Division One champions in 1979–80, earning promotion to the Premier Division. In 1984–85 the club were the league's last Premier Division champions, with the league merging with the Central Alliance to form the Midlands Regional Alliance at the end of the season. Belper were placed in the Premier Division of the new league and became its inaugural champions in 1985–86. They won the league's Challenge Cup in 1992–93, before securing a second Premier Division title in 1994–95 and another Challenge Cup the following season. They were later relegated to Division One, which they won in the 2004–05 season to earn promotion back to the Premier Division.

Despite finishing bottom of the Premier Division in 2008–09, Belper were not relegated to Division One. In 2010 they switched to the South Division of the Central Midlands League. In 2014–15 they won the Central Midlands League Floodlit Cup, beating Clay Cross Town 3–2 in the final. After finishing as runners-up in the South Division in 2015–16, the club were promoted to the East Midlands Counties League. They remained members of the league until it was disbanded at the end of the 2020–21 season, at which point they were transferred to Division One of the United Counties League. In their first season in the league they finished third, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. After defeating Radford in the semi-finals, they beat Hinckley 1–0 in the final to earn promotion to the Premier Division North.

The first team plays at Eastwood's Coronation Park. They played at Belper Town's Christchurch Meadow from the 2013–14 season, but later relocated to Asterdale Bowl, the home ground of Borrowash Victoria. The club returned to Christchurch Meadow at the start of the 2018–19 season. They moved on again to Coronation Park before the 2023–24 season

Honours
Central Midlands League
Floodlit Cup winners 2014–15
East Midlands Regional League
Premier Division champions 1984–85
Division One champions 1979–80
Midlands Regional Alliance
Premier Division champions 1985–86, 1994–95
Division One champions 2004–05
Challenge Cup winners 1992–93, 1995–96

FINALLY

Both sides will be keen to take the points after some serious dips in form. Kimberley will want to take Saturdays draw and build on that with a win, while Belper will be wanting to make up for their humbling on Saturday against Skegness.

With Kimberley sitting in the last playoff spot and Belper just two places and three points behind them having played two more matches, this could be a very competitive match.

We hope to see as many of you there supporting the lads at this away game that is closer than our home matches at the moment.

Kick off is at 20:00

See you there