Nailers salvage point in dying moments

Bradley Wells scored in stoppage time on his Belper Town debut to rescue a point against play-off chasing United.

The hosts took the lead when Gary King headed in Jordan Lemon’s cross, King was due to start the game from the bench but an injury in the warm-up to Jack McGovern forced him to watch on from the stands.

Centre-half Jack O’Brien, who was also making his debut, headed in Louis Keenan’s right-sided corner to equalise for the Nailers just after the hour mark.

The hosts retook the lead ten minutes from time, Robert Norris’ in-swinging free-kick from the left evaded everyone including Nailers’ ‘keeper Charlie Mansfield and the ball went in at the back post.

United looked certain to take home all three points until Wells’ equalised deep into second-half stoppage time, he collected Alex Steadman’s flick-on and smashed the ball home left footed to the delight of the Belper Town travelling supporters behind the goal.

Both sides had good chances to add to their respective tallies, Nailers forward, Luke Edwards skewed Wells’ pullback wide on the stroke of half-time before being replaced by Laurence Constable at the break.

Nailers captain, Eric Graves had two bites at the cherry to try and get his side level on the hour mark, his first attempt was blocked but the rebound fell kindly for him and United ‘keeper Richard Walton just got enough on the strike to stop it from going in.

Lincoln centre-half, Sean Wright headed Norris’ corner onto the bar before Belper went up the other end winning a corner of their own, which O’Brien converted to get the Nailers back on level terms.

Kyle Bryant almost put through his own net late on in the first half, he sliced Matthew Cotton’s low cross onto the post as Charlie Mansfield was rooted to the spot in the Nailers goal.

Charlie Palmer’s match day squad saw four new faces, goal scorers O’Brien and Wells started with under-21 product Fenwick Butcher and Sam Dockwray unused substitutes.

Goalkeeper Mark Rathbone also returned to the bench following a lengthy injury lay-off, Rathbone spent the early parts of the season as Danny Haystead’s understudy before suffering a serious knee injury.

The Nailers are back in action on Tuesday night as they host Romulus at The Marston's Stadium, the Rom's sit three places and seven points above Belper in 11th, but the Nailers do have two games in hand.

Attendance: 168

Lincoln United: Walton (GK), Lemon, Smith, Toyne, Jacklin (Capt.), Wright, Cotton (Brooks 90’), Whitehead, King, Norris (Fairclough 80’), Griffiths. Unused subs: Ward, Cann, Ziccardi.

Belper Town: Mansfield (GK), Bryant, Keenan, Allen, Palmer, O’Brian, Wells, Graves (Capt.), Edwards (Constable 45’), Williams, Steadman. Unused subs: Butcher, Dockwray, Rathbone (GK)

Referee: Martyn Fryer (Arnold)

Attendance: 168