Ryan double sets up Belper victory

The home side, who had won just one of their last six games, gave home debuts to five players including former Loughborough Dynamo ‘keeper Matt Nurse and former Nailers favourite Asa Ingall, while Belper named an unchanged squad with the management team again named as substitutes.

After a somewhat disruptive start to the game, the first chance fell to Ollie Ryan who was put through after some good first time passing between Lee Stevenson and Matt Telling, but the advancing Nurse was able to smother Ryan’s shot and the defence were able to clear the danger.

Ollie Ryan was, however, able to open his Nailer’s account in the 9th minute with a somewhat fortuitous goal. From a Belper corner, the Quorn defence only half cleared the danger with the ball falling to Tom Naylor who drove the ball back into the area, striking Ryan on the head and deflecting past the helpless Nurse.

Belper should have doubled their lead immediately after, but Jordan Hall was unable to keep his shot down after some good first time passing between Ryan and Jon Froggatt.

After these early chances, the game became scrappier with the Nailers playing some good close pass and move football, while the home side resorted to the route-one ball.

As the game reached the mid-point of the first half, both teams had chances to score. Good work down the right from Ryan and Mickey Harcourt tested the Quorn defence, but not the ‘keeper; while at the other end good defending from Tom Naylor saw Russell Peel’s close range shot diverted into the side netting.

Quorn did have the ball in the net in the 30th minute, but the linesman’s flag ruled out Tom Byrne’s effort.

The home side did, however, go one better a minute later when Byrne’s low cross across the box found left back Steve Purton unmarked at the far post, who drove the ball past Ogden at his near post.

Quorn were somewhat unfortunate not to go in at the break in the lead after a Tom Byrne chance in the 42nd minute. From an inswinging free-kick from Wood, Ogden made a very good reaction save, with Byrne somehow managing to put the loose ball wide with the goal at his mercy.

As Belper began to dominant the second half with some crisp, quick passing, the home side’s best chances largely came from set-pieces.

Another Wood free-kick, immediately after the break, was well saved by Ogden and cleared by the defence, and Ogden was to produce a very good one-handed save to deny a later Purton free kick.

At the other end, Good link up play between Ryan and Froggatt let in Stevenson, but the latter was unable to convert the chance, while in 55th minute Telling almost punished a poor clearance by Nurse, but the 40yard lob/shot was wide of the unguarded net.

The Nailers did regain the lead in the 68th minute. A Richard Adam’s long throw found Lee Stevenson on the edge of the six yard box, and the midfielder was able to turn neatly before firing the ball past Nurse for his 26th goal of the season.

As the game drew to a close, Belper began to increase the pressure. Froggatt was unfortunate not to increase his Nailers’ tally, but his left foot shot was just the wrong side of Nurse’s post and Luke Fedorenko was unable to keep his shot down after a good cross from James Colliver.

The increased pressure, however, did allow Quorn a golden opportunity to draw level. From a Wood corner, Byrne found himself at the back post, but was unable to hit the target from 2 yards.

Belper secured the points in the 81st minute when Ollie Ryan was able to collect the ball and dance through the Quorn defence, before slotting the ball beneath the advancing Nurse.

Despite the score line the home side battled until the very end, but when Russell Peel managed to put the ball over the bar from a few yards out, the writing was on the wall and the points belonged to the Nailers.