Evan Garnett scored fifteen minutes from time to give the Nailers the lead, new signing Isaac Minott came off the bench and secured the points with just three minutes left to play.

Garnett collected a through ball from Rob Stevenson and smashed the ball high into the roof of the net from the right hand side of the box to break the deadlock.

Jonathan Williams clipped a delightful ball forward for Minott, who muscled off a defender and drove the ball left-footed under Daventry ‘keeper Ben Heath to make the points safe just before the death.

Belper had lost three players since their last outing against Market Drayton following the departure of manager Jim Albans, Sam Purcicoe returning to Grantham Town, Scott Matthews making the move to Frickley Athletic and Michael Towey moving to Barnsley-based Shaw Lane Aquaforce.

Kevin Hemagou had a great chance to open the scoring for Belper fifteen minutes in, Luke Shaw clipped the ball in behind but Hemagou could only awkwardly squeeze the ball wide when one-v-one with the ‘keeper.

Garnett had a chance to score in either half but was thwarted by some excellent defensive work from Daventry, a lovely move in the first half involving Hemagou and other new signing Hayden Goddard created a chance for Garnett whose curling effort was palmed away by Heath.

Just after the hour mark goalscorer Garnett drove at the heart of the Daventry defence and as he shaped to shoot from the edge of the box, Captain Jason Lee stopped the Nailers frontman in his tracks with a last-ditch tackle.

Palmer’s other new signing alongside Minott, Hayden Goddard, started for the Nailers after he followed Luke Shaw from Ilkeston FC late in the week.

New boss Charlie Palmer only took over at The Marston’s Stadium on Thursday but his side put in a strong performance to push themselves back up the table in the Evo-Stik Division One South.

Belper Town: Haystead (GK), Shaw, Cooksey, Williams, Lister (Capt.), Watt, Johnson, Goddard (Kabanje 73’), Hemagou (Minott 57’), Garnett, Stevenson (Wedderburn 86’). Unused subs: Ryan, Marshall.

Daventry Town: Heath (GK), Kennedy, Bentley, Bettles, Lee (Capt.), Hartley (Motshweni 82’), Creaney (Fitzgerald 86’), Prinzel, Tricks, Curtis (Deacon 86’), Soetan. Unused subs: Childs, Hill.

Referee: Peter Sporne (Sheffield)

Attendance: 322