Nailers dig deep to maintain winning run

At a windswept Don Amott Arena, the Nailers started brightly and carved out two early scoring opportunities.

First, home goalkeeper Jack Barker did well to claim the ball after Ethan Camm latched onto Joel Cain’s through ball and looked favourite to get his shot away before the ’keeper’s intervention halted him in his tracks.

Then Cain lashed the ball narrowly over the bar after Camm had returned the favour with another ball slotted though the home defence.

But the visitors’ early control saw then take the lead after 12 minutes when Josh Bullock ran onto yet another through ball and lashed his shot into the bottom left had corner.

Barker then tipped over a venomous effort from Dan Watson but Sports levelled the scored midway through the half when their influential midfield player Lewis Belgrave fired in a free kick from just outside the box that flew into the top left hand corner of the net.

Belgrave was now beginning to take the game by the scruff of the neck, ending a surging run with a shot that just cleared the crossbar.

The game was now swinging from end to end and Barker again excelled himself by tipping Joel Cain’s powerful shot over the bar.

Lewis Belgrave put Sports ahead on the stroke of half time with another long-range free kick that sailed past ‘keeper Morgan Mighty, who should really have saved the effort.

With the wind at their backs, Belper opened the second period in determined fashion.

Ethan Camm volleyed narrowly over after Scott Taylor had carved out the opportunity and then Barker saved his side again, blocking a close range effort from Dan Watson when the Nailers midfielder looked odds-on to score.

But the Nailers were not to be denied and when Scott Taylor latched onto a long clearance from Mighty, his near post cross was deftly headed in by Josh Bullock for his second goal of the game after 57 minutes.

Sam Weston was creating havoc with his long throw-ins and the ploy finally paid dividends after 66 minutes when the Sports defence failed to clear their lines and Dan Watson crashed the ball into the top corner from 15 yards.

Substitute, Ryan Hall might have extended Belper’s lead but his header struck the top of the cross bar with Barker beaten.

It was all Belper at this stage and it came as no surprise when Scott Taylor lashed the ball home from point blank range from Josh Craddock’s in-swinging corner.

Mickleover Sports: Barker, Adamson, Higgins, Shahi, Sanchez, Gombera, Mills, Belgrave, Smith, Wallace, Shumba. Subs: Davis, Bains, Zvekare, Karandize.

Belper Town: Mighty, Gandola, Patrick, Watson, Weston, Hall, Camm, Craddock, Cain, taylor, Bullock. Subs: Bradbury, Dronfield, Rathband, Walker, Repton.

Referee: Paul Buck (Long Eaton)