Ravaged Bels put through the mill

How different it was from the scene at the same ground in late summer when a then flying Bels edged past the chocolate-and-blues in the cup.

Several months on Bels are on their knees in terms of selection, heavily troubled by injuries, suspensions and absences. Such are their defensive issues meant that one-time Upton captain Leighton Chainey was recalled at the age of 45.

That meant, for once, former York City man Dave Merris was not the oldest man in the side.

With Leroi Riley struck down by Covid symptoms, Bels had Brent Marquand starting as an emergency keeper, but on the plus side the home side had former GFC man Paris Pereira leading their attack, the player hopefully clear of his long-term injury worries that has denied Belgraves his services.

Northerners had their own keeping issues and called on U18 goal-minder Luke Elmy, but it was Marquand who was first to be seriously tested and the man so able at both centre half or centre back let slip a low ball in from the left and Keene Domaille poached a tap in.

That was on six minutes and a minute later Sam Murray tucked away a second.

On 18min. it was 3-0 as Domaille set up Luke Mollet was for an easy close range finish.

Neither of those goals could anywhere match the brilliant strike Merris provided to narrow the deficit on the half-hour mark.

Faced with a four-man wall, he drove a blistering finish head height into the net. Elmy barely moved.

Pereira almost made further inroads to the deficit but blasted over having done the hard work, and on 38min Domaille drove in off the right and blasted a low finish into the far corner for 4-1.

The youngster quickly missed another golden chance to complete a first half hat-trick and Murray then added his second on the brink of half-time.

After the break Marquand was back in an outfield role with Marcus Queripel filling the role and beaten for the first time as Mollet swept home his second.

Pereira spurned another good chance and the rout continued with Ryan Lamb driving a free-kick through a leaky wall.

Joby Bourgaize pulled one back for Bels with five minutes left but it was the visitors who had the last say, sub and former Belgrave Callum Wallace notching the eighth.