Belper were without suspended captain, Colin Marrison, with Aaron Pride taking the right midfield berth whilst Michael Simpkins took over the captain’s armband, having been reinstated to the side at the expense of Alan O’Hare.

There was also the encouraging sight of Luke Fedorenko on the substitutes bench, making his first appearance of the season after suffering a serious knee injury in pre-season.

The players observed a minute’s silence prior to kick-off on this remembrance weekend.

It all looked so easy for the Daniels in the early stages and they went in front after just three minutes with their first purposeful move of the match. Simpkins had already done well to deflect Nathan Watson’s initial effort for a corner but the respite was only temporary as Andy Toyne rose unchallenged from the flag kick to head Stamford into the lead.

Stamford were bossing the game all over the pitch and Andy Richmond had be alert to cling onto the ball after Bruno Holden looked to have escaped the attention of Michael Simpkins.

Strong shouts for a Stamford penalty went unheeded after Nick Ghislanzoni went down under challenge in the penalty area but it wasn’t long before increasing pressure from the visitors brought them a deserved second goal after 21 minutes when Bruno Holden managed to evade his marker, turn and fire a low shot in off the far post.

Andy Richmond did well to claw the ball away after Andy Toyne’s shot took a massive deflection off a defender and at this stage, the Nailers were badly in need of some inspiration.

In Belper’s first meaningful effort of the half, Jon Froggatt managed to get in a shot from the corner of the penalty area but it lacked power and visiting ‘keeper, Mario Ziccardi was largely untroubled by Belper’s attacking intent.

Meanwhile, the Daniels were continuing to play with supreme confidence and Holden was the next to create problems for the Nailers with a deft turn and rising shot that took a faint deflection that allowed the ball to just clear the Belper crossbar.

Belper then worked the ball into an excellent goal-scoring position only for the referee to pull the play back for an injury to Toyne, a decision with failed to impress the frustrated home supporters but as the half reached its final stages there were a few glimpses that the Nailers might be able to impose themselves on the game

First, Jon Froggatt’s goal-bound shout was somehow blocked after Ben Leonard had headed the ball into his path and then Aaron Pride was inches away from making contact with Deon Meikle’s cross shot after a Stamford defender got the faintest of touches to take ball agonisingly out of the Belper midfielder’s reach.

At the interval, Peter Duffield replaced Michael Simpkins and Lee Whittington with Alan O’Hare and Jordan Turner respectively and their introduction was to have a profound effect on a Belper team that had been clearly second best in the opening 45 minutes.

But, the Daniels still looked menacing in the opening period with Holden firing wide from 25 yards and then Jake Gibson forcing another great save out of Andy Richmond after the Stamford substitute had raced clear of a static Belper defence.

Then the tide began to turn in Belper’s favour.

Jordan Turner (pictured) was only a fraction away from getting a decisive touch into Jon Froggatt’s flick-on and Aaron Pride shot just over the bar from the corner of the penalty area after Froggatt had again set up the scoring opportunity.

And Belper’s mounting pressure paid off after 59 minutes when Ben Leonard got his head to a free kick to send the ball past Ziccardi.

But, credit to Stamford, they didn’t allow the setback to upset them and they regained their two-goal cushion after 65 minutes when Andy Toyne turned the ball in from close range after the Belper defence failed to clear a corner.

Similarly, Belper failed to be daunted by the goal and purposefully set about trying to make amends.

Turner was unlucky to see his 18-yard shot cannon back off the Stamford crossbar and the same player set up another scoring opportunity when his perseverance kept the ball alive but his shot took an unfortunate deflection to send the ball spinning marginally over the bar.

But the Nailers were finally rewarded for their spirit after 82 minutes when leading scorer, Jon Froggatt scored with a low shot from the edge of the area to set up a grandstand finish.

Froggatt was again unfortunate to see a Stamford defender deflect another effort for a corner, from which Leonard’s header drifted wide of the target but Stamford’s defence ultimately repelled all that Belper could throw at them in those latter stages to record a victory that saw them maintain their challenge at the top of the table.

In the end, the teams were applauded from the field by both sets of supporters, in recognition of a Belper’s stirring second half performance and in appreciation of the quality of football produced by the visitors.

Belper Town: Richmond, Chambers. Magee, Meikle, Adams, Simpkins (O’Hare 45), Pride, Leonard, Froggatt, Whittington (Turner J 45), Rushbury (Fedorenko 52). Unused subs: Smith, Turner T.

Stamford: Ziccardi, Garton, Hewitt, Pheasant, Chamberlain, Steadman (Deane 75), Watson N, Toyne, Holden, Ghislanzoni (Watson K 70), Barrett (Gibson 29). Unused sub: Schiavone

Referee: Luke Watson (Barnsley)

Attendance: 200