Belper were without ‘keeper Andy Richmond and Jon Froggatt (both on holiday), and Joaquim Ortuno, Ruben Wiggins-Thomas and Luke Fedorenko (pictured) were all sidelined due to knee injuries, while in the Matlock line up was former Nailers’ favourite Micky Harcourt.

The Nailers could have scored after 15 seconds when Lee Morris had an opportunity from 15 yards but mis-hit his shot and the ball was cleared.

After early Belper pressure the game opened up with both sides testing each other out and there wasn’t a great deal of goal mouth activity until the 15th minute when Matlock took the lead from the penalty spot.

It was an innocuous incident to start with as Alan O’Hare and Tom Stones had plenty of time to deal with a ball into the penalty area, but hesitation by both players let Tyesse Nightingale in, and Stones impeded him before as the Matlock striker got his shot in.

The referee saw this as an infringement and awarded the Gladiators a penalty kick that Chris Bettney duly converted.

The Nailers nearly equalised in the 20th minute when Lee Morris nudged the ball over a defender and Ben Spargo prodded the ball goal bound, but Jon Kennedy scrambled it away.

Matlock were finding their men better than Belper and were slightly quicker to the ball at this stage of the game, but despite this, the Nailers hadn’t looked in any sort of trouble.

But having said that they were wide open in the 35th minute when Lee Whittington was able to send an unchallenged header against the outside of the post and Belper were fortunate not to be two goals down.

The Nailers finished the first half in a positive manner and gave the Gladiators more to think about in defence, however in a game of very few direct shots, the visitors ended the half with a shot on the turn from Lee Whittington but Stones gathered the ball comfortably.

It was an even start to the second period and 5 minutes had elapsed before the first effort on goal came, and it was Liam King who ran through to hit a swerving shot wide of the target.

But the Gladiators went further ahead with a well worked goal in the 53rd minute when Tyesse Nightingale pulled the ball back to Micky Harcourt and Steve Warne was on the end of the cross to steer the ball home.

Lee Morris wasn’t far away with a blistering free kick on 55 minutes, but Belper were three goals adrift in the 56th minute when a shot was deflected off Tyesse Nightingale over Tom Stones and into the net.

Steve Warne added a second to his tally four minutes later with a measured shot over the ‘keeper and just inside the far corner.

Tom Stones just managed to divert James Knowles’ 76th minute shot away from the goal to prevent an embarrassing 5th goal for the Gladiators, and the effect of a number of substitutions meant that the Nailers were looking a little leg weary as Matlock grew in strength.

Stones did well to push James Lukic’s 86th minute shot away but had no chance with Tyesse Nightingale’s thumping header to round off an impressive victory for the visitors and serve up plenty of food for thought for Belper manager Tommy Taylor.

Belper Town: Stones, Adams (Ludlam 45), Magee (Davis 45), Camm (Brar 70), Hannigan, O’Hare (Plant 45), Morris, Smith (Thorpe 53), Spargo, Meikle, Rushbury (Graham 52). Unused sub: Singh

Matlock Town: Kennedy, Harcourt, Algar (Bowler 78), King (Knowles 73), Sturdy, Lukic, Bettney (Whitcombe 78), Whittington (Joynes 57), Nightingale, Warne (Davies 71), Mallon (Featherstone 63).

Referee: Alix Pashley (Chesterfield)

Attendance: 148