There was more than a tad of fortune about Heanor Town reaching the Derbyshire Senior Cup Semi Finals for the second time in three years. The under strength Lions were second best for long periods against their Step 6 opponents from the East Midland Counties League, but the home defence, with a new central pairing, did well with goalkeeper Joe McCormack in excellent form.

Injuries, suspensions and cup tied players robbed Heanor of seven players from their potential line-up.

Stapenhill won the toss and elected to attack the Mayfield Avenue goal in the first half and Joe McCormack was soon in action saving a Alex Britton free kick. Heanor though should have been ahead in eight minutes when Jay Cooper failed to take a grand cross from the right with only Harry Bullock left to beat. Tom Liversage was prominent for the visitors and saw his shot pushed to safety by McCormack which the goalkeeper then punched clear. The same player brought McCormack into action again on 16 minutes with a shot which was straight at the custodian. Heanor took a 21st minute lead when JAY COOPER scored a fine solo goal, picking the ball up in his own half and running beyond some lazy challenged before slotting the ball home. Five minutes later KIERAN DEBROUWER fired home a free kick from the edge of the penalty area to double the advantage. For a while Heanor were dominant. Marriott clipped the ball over the onrushing Bullock (must get this name right!) but wide, and Gerry Moran just failed to meet an inviting Debrouwer cross in front of goal. But when the visitors returned to the attack Rowland set up Matt Oliver who shotwide. Alex Britton saw his close range shot blocked by McCormack before Tom Liversage cut inside and rattled the ball into the side netting. Another fine run by Liversage this time saw his shot beat McCormack but hit the bar. Debrouwer hit the post at the other end after another fine solo run took him clear of the defence. Both sides were finding it hard on the stamina-sapping pitch.

Chris Bettney put an early second half shot straight at Bullock and Moran shot over after Clarke had just failed to get a touch to Nathan Kelly’s cross. Stapenhill came back into the game when Britton put TOM ELLERTON in to shoot under McCormack on 52 minutes. The visitors now had their tails up and Brent Upton shot straight at McCormack when he might well have tested the goalkeeper more. Lewis Campbell had every right to hold his head in his hands after standing clear at the back post and somehow heading Liversage’s 63rd minute corner wide. Liversave, Britton, Ellerton and David Chatfield all had shots blocks in quick succession by an over-worked Heanor defence. Heanor weathered the storm and hit back and Jamie Clarke missed a grand Cooper cross following an exciting run down the left, and then Bullock took a Clarke cross off the head of Debrouwer. Stapenhill put on heavy pressure in the final minutes and Britton shot across the face of goal when he might have done better and Ellerton chipped the ball over McCormack and agonisingly wide. Heanor’s win though owed much to the efforts and guile of Chris Bettney, particularly in the last twenty minutes when all around him were running out of steam on the glue pot of a pitch. Bettney’s experience and exemplary passing turned defence into attack time and time again. And how nice to have some sensible Derbyshire refereeing for a change.

HEANOR TOWN: McCormack, Marriott, Seale, Moran (Brown 86), Chadburn, Booker, Kelly (Bowler 66), Bettney, Clarke, Debrouwer, Cooper. Substitutes not used - Abdollahi, Warner, Whittingham.

REFEREE: Reece Davies
ATTENDANCE: 86
STAR LION: Chris Bettney
No Heanor Cautions