The Nailers made one change from the side that won at New Mills the previous Monday evening with Alton Rennalls coming in for Andy Rushbury who was named as a substitute.

The Nailers were searching for their 10th win from their last 11 outings; a run that coincidently began in January after they lost to Coalville 2-0 at home, and they arrived at Owen Street knowing that only victory would keep them in touch with the top five.

This was a tough game for Belper who had to battle against a cross wind and an uneven surface which prevented the natural flow of their passing game, but this brought out other qualities of grit and determination together with strength of character.

Danny Haynes nearly gave the Ravens a good start when he put a shot into the side netting in just the 3rd minute and it was an inauspicious first few minutes for the Nailers who took time to settle down.

However Ashley Longstaff, who is enjoying a good run of form at present was unlucky not to have given the Nailers the lead in the 8th minute when he ran on to a long ball into the penalty area and lobbed Sean Bowles as he came out to meet him.

The bone hard pitch didn’t help Longstaff’s cause and although the ball was on its way in it took an exceptional bounce and cleared the cross bar by nearly a foot.

There was little to choose between the teams and the conditions made it difficult for good football and consequently the ball spent too much time in the air.

However the Ravens played into Belper’s defensive strengths with Dan White and Michael Simpkins dominated at the back and Aaron Chapman secure between the posts.

The game sparked into life in the 22nd minute with Coalville’s Lee Miveld getting a direct shot in on goal but, moments later, Belper were celebrating a brilliant strike from Ashley Longstaff who hooked a first time angled effort past a rooted Sean Bowles to put the Nailers in front.

Having established a foothold in the game the Nailers had to work for the rest of the half to ensure that they went into the interval ahead, but when they emerged for the second period they stuttered a little in the first few minutes.

In fact a spell of pressure from the Ravens produced an equaliser in the 55th minute when Dan White unwittingly diverted a fierce cross from the right over the line as he attempted to clear at the near post.

It was still difficult to see any pattern of play from either side developing but there was a sense that the Nailers would find something within them to go on and claim the points.

Jon Froggatt provided the moment of magic that was required when he collected the ball just outside the penalty area in the 69th minute and withstood a couple of challenges before choosing the perfect shot selection, and sent the ball past the Raven’s ‘keeper with the quality of finish that would have graced any stadium.

Belper sensed that victory was close to hand and nowadays they don’t let points slip through their fingers after getting their noses in front, and in the 78th minute they clinched victory with another strike of pure quality.

This time it was from a dead ball situation and recently introduced substitute Mark Ward, who had a point to prove after being left out of the starting line up, lined up the shot from the corner of the penalty area and drilled the ball in at the near post with Sean Bowles left motionless, not for the first time in the game.

In the end the Nailers came away with a fine victory under their belts, but they’d had to work for it and the quality of the goals proved to be the difference.

Coalville Town: Bowles, Haynes, Brown, Roulston, Kellogg, Miveld, Woodward, Davidson, Carney, Dodd (Blenkinsop 81), Demidh (Robbins 77). Unused subs: Everitt, Chatfield, Quirke.

Belper Town: Chapman, Pride, Wright, Cotton, White, Simpkins, Rennalls (Meikle 83), Warne, Froggatt, Longstaff (Ward 69), Adam (Rushbury 53). Unused subs: Turner, Saxby.

Referee: Matthew Jones (Staffordshire).

Att: 179