Following Tuesday nights latest defeat, this time at Carlton Town, our plight for a league victory has become a little more desperate, as we sit bottom of the Northern Premier League Midlands Division One, with just 1 point from our 6 games.

On Saturday, we host yet another side who finished high in the league last season, with Belper Town, who are just the third visitors to Grange Park for a league match this season so far, travelling from the Amber Valley.

Long Eaton must take heart from their previous home games, having been much the better team against Coventry United, before being undone late on, losing by a single goal to nil, and most recently, holding Basford to a goalless draw, again The Blues for periods were the better side. In-between those 2 league games, we also hosted AFC Rushden & Diamonds in an FA Cup replay, in which we drew 1-1 after 90 minutes and after extra-time, before losing on penalties - even in this game, in the final stages of extra-time, we looked the stronger of the two sides and most likely to nick a winner.

So, with these performances at home in mind, we must approach our next game positively as we strive to get our season up and running and get ourselves away from the danger zone, which is now already increasing in terms of points from safety.

Belper Town, who finished fourth last season, before eventually losing in the Play-off final, on penalties to Racing Club Warwick, were once again right amongst the highly fancied sides to be challenging for top spot this season, but have so far stuttered somewhat this time around. The Nailers currently occupy 12th position in the league, with 2 victories, 2 draws and 4 defeats from their 8 games - accumulating 8 points.

On Tuesday, Belper slid to a 2-0 home defeat to Rugby Borough, who have now climbed to the top of the table, but before that, they swept aside Boston Town 3-0 away from home.

On their travels so far this season, Belper have been a bit of a mixed bag - 2 goalless draws at Shepshed and Loughborough Students in early August, have been followed by a defeat at Basford (1-2) and then that win at Boston last weekend.

Last season, they had the third best away record of all the sides in the league, winning 10, and drawing a further 4 other games - picking up 34 points, incidentally, they also picked up 34 points at home, and were 1 of 8 sides who finished with either more or equal points away from home, then at home, throughout the season.

Forward Harry Draper has been their main source of goals, netting 6 of the teams 12 league and cup goals already this term.

Previous Meetings
06/04/2026 Belper 2 BLUES 1 (Betts)
13/01/2026 Belper 3 BLUES 1 (Thompson-Matthews) [Derby Senior Cup]
26/12/2025 BLUES 4 Belper 1 (Garnett 3[1pen] Thompson-Matthews)
10/12/2019 BLUES 2 Belper 4 [Derby Senior cup]
05/12/2017 Belper 1 BLUES 1 (Belper win 4-3 on pens) [Derby Senior Cup]
07/01/1989 Belper 4 BLUES 1
17/09/1988 BLUES 1 Belper 2
26/12/1987 Belper 1 BLUES 2
03/10/1987 BLUES 0 Belper 0
03/01/1987 BLUES 2 Belper 0
16/08/1986 Belper 0 BLUES 3

Match Details

Saturday 19th September 2026
LONG EATON UNITED vs BELPER TOWN
Northern Premier League Midlands Division One
Kick-off 3pm

Referee: Mehul Karia
Assistant referees: Gary Lord, Lois Jefferies

Grange Park
Off Station Road,
Long Eaton,
NG10 2EF

Admission Prices
Adults £10
Concessions £8
Under 16's £4* or FREE with paying adult

Cash and/or card accepted

Programme Available at turnstile: £3