Stevo hat-trick as Nailers run riot

The Nailers made just one change from the team that won at Gresley in the Derbyshire Senior Cup in midweek with Adam Ogden coming in instead of Martin Kearney in goal.

New signing Matt Telling was making his home debut while Belper’s other recent signing, Simon Mirfin was unavailable due to holiday commitments.

Loughborough Dynamo arrived at Christchurch Meadow having lost their manager John Folwell following last week’s 4-2 home defeat against Witton Albion, and player Rick Nurse was in charge of team matters for this game.

Loughborough put the Nailers under earlier pressure with two corners and a free kick inside the first 3 minutes, but Lee Stevenson (pictured)nearly put Belper in front with a low shot when the Nailers won a free kick of their own in the 5th minute.

Stevenson was denied moments later after running on to Anthony Wilson’s pass, and Matt Nurse made an important save, but in the 11th minute the Nailers took the lead following an attack down the left.

Anthony Wilson moved towards goal and then released the ball to Ben Walker who waited before finding a suitable gap, and threaded his shot wide of Matt Nurse and inside the far post.

Walker almost added second 2 minutes later with a curling effort that veered just wide of the far post, but Loughborough leveled the scores in the 22nd minute, moments after Adam Ogden had made a great save from a Kris Nurse header.

Unfortunately, Belper couldn’t clear the ball away from six yard area and Reece Lester volleyed the ball in at the near post with Ogden unable to prevent the ball going in.

However it took Belper just 2 minutes to regain the lead and it was Lee Stevenson who ran through and struck his 13th goal of the season with a shot from 15 yards.

Dynamo exposed Belper at the back once again in the 26th minute and Ogden saved brilliantly from Callum Ross’s run and shot, although Reece Lester should have done better with his follow up effort.

Lee Stevenson put the Nailers further ahead on 37 minutes after they broke quickly with Anthony Wilson receiving the ball on the left.

He played it into the path of Stevenson who hit a measured ground shot wide of Matt Nurse and into the net.

Belper’s vulnerability to the break was emphasised in the 41st minute when Kris Nurse was allowed to run through and shoot from 20 yards, but fortunately Adam Ogden was in the right place to make an excellent save.

Lee Stevenson put a great 30 yard pass through to Ben Walker early in the second half but the Belper striker sent his shot fizzing across goal and beyond the far post.

But Lee Stevenson grabbed the headlines again when he completed his hat trick in the 50th minute after he guided a header past Matt Nurse from a long punt down field by Andy Rushbury.

Anthony Wilson put a good chance just the wrong side of the post in the 57th minute and more goals looked a distinct possibility.

Andy Rushbury linked with Richard Haigh in the 70th minute and the Belper defender went on to put the ball into the six yard area but there was no one there to take advantage.

Luke Fedorenko headed a 78th minute cross just over the bar as the Nailers repeatedly attacked down both flanks, and then Nailers were grateful to Richard Haigh who made an important interception to prevent Dynamo reducing the arrears.

However the game was made safe in the 82nd minute when Dean Oliver scored a brilliant individual goal with a curling narrow angled shot to beat Matt Nurse at his near post, then Oliver struck scored another tremendous goal on 87 minutes when he turned and hit a rising shot into the roof of the net.

Richard Adams completed the rout in added on time when he forced home the seventh goal of the afternoon from a corner kick.

This was the Nailers at their ruthless best and they put troubled Loughborough to the sword in the most clinical manner, leaving Nailers’ supporters fervently hoping for more of the same in the matches coming up next.

Belper Town: Ogden, Harcourt, Haigh, Naylor, Colliver, Adams, Telling, Stevenson, Walker, Wilson (Oliver 69), Rushbury (Fedorenko 77). Other subs: Hudson, Pride, Kearney.

Loughborough Dynamo: Nurse M, Spriggs, Allen, Latham (Hohn 45), Betts, Noble, Hale (Allen 61), Morgan, Nurse K, Ross, Lester. Other subs: Jenno, Dawson.

Referee: D Naylor (Sutton-in-Ashfield)

Attendance: 221

Match Sponsors: Belper Town Juniors.

Man of the Match: Lee Stevenson

Nigel Oldrini