Nailers fall short in epic clash

Goals from Bruno Holden, Ashley Burbeary and an own goal weren’t enough to earn any reward from the game, as the Robins scored four times to take all three points.

The game begin perfectly for Belper as they took the lead in the 14th minutes following a bright start to the game.

Ian Ross, who filled in at centre half for the injured Phil Watt, spread a neat ball out to the right to the unmarked Rob Stevenson who found a good floated cross for Michael Towey to head the ball into the path of Bruno Holden to volley the ball home over goalkeeper Sam Modlinski,

The Nailers lead lasted less than 60 seconds as the Robins struck back directly from the restart.

The ball was worked to the right hand side for the dangerous Kayde Coppin, who fizzed a cross low across the box where Lee Rick arrived to slot the ball home from close range.

Belper then began to struggle in the next period of the game as the home side took a dominating lead.

The Robins next goal came on the 32nd minute in rather basic fashion as far as Belper were concerned.

Coppin played a square ball back to Chris Baguley who fired a shot from 25 yards which landed low into the bottom right corner beyond Nailers debutant goalkeeper, Jamie Green.

The home side struck again three minutes later.

Rick swung a corner in from the left which went all the way over to the right for Martin Hill who worked the ball back in to the box where defender Sam Wilson was on hand to smash the ball in from eight yards.

The Nailers had a point to prove in the second half and almost did so in spectacular fashion.

After fifteen minutes of Belper pressure, they got their goal to edge back in to the game on the hour mark.

Glyn Cotton played a good ball out to the right for Rob Stevenson, who played Liam Goulding in towards the by-line and the Nailers defender supplied a low cross which found Ashley Burbeary, eight yards out, to fire the ball in to the back of the net, and give Belper hope.

Ten minutes later, the Nailers got their equaliser in rather fortunate circumstances.

Burbeary whipped a corner in from the left hand side which saw an effort stopped on the line by the defender to smash the ball away, only for his attempted clearance to hit the back of Sam Wilson and divert back in to the net for an own goal.

However, any hopes of a complete turnaround for the Nailers were dashed eight minutes from time as Ashton took the lead once more to eventually win the game.

Dale Johnson found space on the edge of the box and drilled a shot close towards Green, who could only parry the ball in to the path of substitute Josh Steadman to poke home from six yards out, and ensure the high flyers would take all three points.

Ashton United: Modlinsky, Wilson, Pearson, Gorton, Higgins, Young, Rick, Baguley (Haslam 53), Johnson, Coppin (Steadman 64), Hill (Vincent 90). Subs: Halford.

Belper Town: Green, Goulding, Varley, Warne, Adams, Rosss, Burbeary (James 77), Towey, Holden, Cotton, Stevenson (Froggatt 85). Subs: Ward, Jones, Martin.

Referee: Chris Isherwood (Leyland)

Attendance: 128