With Jon Froggatt, Steve Warne and Gareth Davies all unavailable, the Nailers manager tinkered with his squad by giving all but Aaron Pride an opportunity to stake a claim for a starting berth, as Belper get ready to launch their new Premier Division campaign.

The Nailers included loanee Reece Lucas from Rotherham United, who slotted into the team, at right full back

The visitors made a lively start to the game and tested the Nailers back line with a couple of probing crosses that needed to be cut out at the first time of asking.

However Aaron Cole nearly caught Sutton Coldfield on their heels with a superb first time cross in the 3rd minute that Mark Ward headed over the cross bar.

Rob Stevenson had an opportunity to mark his manager’s card on 12 minutes when another slick Belper attack left him with a relatively easy shooting opportunity from 8 yards, but he could only miss-hit his effort to give Lee Evans an easy save.

Aaron Cole demonstrated his ability to cross a ball again on 15 minutes and once more it was Stevenson who was the recipient, however as he leaned in to get his head to the ball he could only glance it wide of the post.

Cole had a great chance to put the Nailers ahead two minutes later when the referee had allowed play to continue after Stevenson had been felled on the edge of the area, and as the ball ran to him he sliced it well wide of the gaping target.

Cole should have controlled his shot better when he had an opening in the 20th minutes, but fired high over the cross bar, and soon afterwards, Evan Garnett’s pace saw him get to a back pass ahead of the Sutton Coldfield ‘keeper but he could only put the ball wide.

Cole was involved again on the half hour mark with a fiercely struck effort that Evans managed to parry, however despite the visitors having had a reasonable share of possession, their best effort of the first half came from Tom Turton whose volley on the turn went straight to James Martin.

It was a more even affair after the break with Sutton Coldfield having some dangerous moments early on.

Stuart McNaught hit a fine effort from the edge of the penalty area on 55 minutes that struck the outside of the cross bar, and moments later Tom Turton struck a low shot narrowly wide.

The Nailers slowly began to claw back possession and Garnett made the most of Aaron Cole’s thoughtful pass on 66 minutes to deliver a dangerous cross into the box that the visitors were fortunate to clear.

The only goal of the game came in the 68th minute when Evan Garnett nodded the ball in from close range after an Aaron Cole corner came eventually came to him, and Belper’s lead was justified based more on their first half opportunities rather than their creativity after the break.

The remainder of the game was disrupted to a degree by the inevitable substitutions and although Sutton Coldfield remained a threat, there seemed little likelihood of Belper conceding a goal.

Simon Harrison’s superb blocking of a Luke Richards effort with two minutes to go was sufficient to see the Nailers home and dry in this final practise run of the season.

We now wait with interest and excitement to see which team Peter Duffield selects as Belper Town open a new chapter in their history when Ashton United come to the Marston’s Stadium on Saturday.

Belper Town: Martin, Lucas, Bennett, Ross, Jones, White, Cole, Marrison, Garnett, Ward, Stevenson, Wells, Ball, Pride, Harrison, Andrews, Edridge, Low.

Sutton Coldfield Town: Evans, Gonzales, Jackson, Donahue, Tunnicliffe, Male, Leek, McNaught, Edwards, Turton, Richards, Robinson, Clarke, Taylor, De Azevedo, Gwilliams.

Referee: Jim Thornhill (Derby)

Att: 109