Nailers sunk by another late goal

The Nailers made two enforced changes to their starting line up.

With Ben Walker and Anthony Wilson serving suspensions, Dean Oliver continued in a striker’s role and Ryan Hindley (pictured) came in for his first start since rejoining the club a couple of weeks ago.

Lee Stevenson, the division’s top scorer and subject to recent transfer speculation was named in the starting line up having only missed one game all season.

Lincoln arrived at Christchurch Meadow having won just 4 games so far this season and were languishing in 20th place.

Belper made an uncertain start with Sam Wilkinson’s 2nd minute effort being deflected for a corner kick and from it, John Machin headed against the cross bar

Sean Cann caused Belper more problems in the 8th minute when he twisted one way and then the other before sending a shot across the face of goal that took a slight deflection before going safe.

Lee Stevenson went close with Belper’s first effort on goal in the 12th minute when he headed a Ryan Hindley cross just over the bar, and then the ball kindly for him in the 17th minute but the angle for the shot was too acute, and Mario Ziccardi was down quickly to make the save.

Sean Cann found space for a shot in the 22nd minute but the ball went straight through to Adam Ogden, then Ryan Hindley completely mis-kicked when the ball came to him on the edge of the penalty area moments later.

The game entered a scrappy spell with neither side being able to string passes together but this was in Lincoln’s favour as they tended to look more dangerous on the break.

The Nailers almost scored in the 35th minute when Lee Stevenson nudged an excellent near post cross from Dean Oliver towards goal and Ziccardi showed sharp reactions to push the ball away of the foot off the post.

But Lincoln nearly punished Belper for being caught out by a long ball on 36 minutes but Ogden saved well from Cann’s shot.

Matt Telling was felled on the edge of the area a minute later, but Stevenson’s driven free kick cannoned away off the defensive wall and was eventually cleared.

Belper were generally struggling to make a positive impression on this game and whatever tactics Lincoln had employed to stop the Nailers continuing their rich goal scoring form had certainly worked in the first half.

The Nailers needed to find the rhythm that had brought them 10 goals in their last two outings but to start with, the second half was following a similar pattern.

Dean Oliver made a great run to the by line inside the first couple of minutes but his cross was cut out by Ziccardi , and he went close again in the 58th minute when Richard Adams toe poked the ball through to him, but his cross went inches wide of the far post.

Clever play from Oliver in hooking the ball into the penalty area should have paid dividends in the 68th minute but Lee Stevenson scuffed his shot wide despite having time to size his shot up.

Although the Nailers were looking better going forward the threat of a Lincoln break was ever present and there was minor panic in the Belper defence in the 70th minute before the ball was finally cleared.

With the crowd willing a Belper goal Matt Telling had a shooting chance on the edge of the area but he fell foul of the same problem that afflicted some of his team mates by mis-kicking.

Lincoln’s tight marking and good organisation was thwarting Belper’s attacking efforts as they raised the tempo in the last 15 minutes, but the Nailers were made to regret their lack of cutting edge up front.

Not for the first time at home this season the Nailers succumbed very late in the game when Lincoln scored the winner in the 90th minute after Sean Cann powered his way through to fire a low shot in at the far post.

The Nailers had paid the price for not being able to break down a well drilled Lincoln side and as a result, they had not only lost three points but had sacrificed their unbeaten home league record too.

Belper Town: Ogden, Colliver, Adams, Naylor, Harcourt, Haigh, Telling, Stevenson, Oliver, Hindley (Fedorenko 55), Rushbury (Mirfin 73). Unused subs: Hudson, Middleton, Kearney.

Lincoln United: Ziccardi, Fleming, Porter, McDaid, Wilkins, Machin, Malinkovic, Zuerner (Hawley 74), Wilkinson, Cann, Smith (Coyde 75). Unused subs: George.

Referee: Glyn Mellor (Derby)

Attendance: 225

Match Sponsors: Midway Fencing Contractors.

Man of the Match: Tom Naylor

Match Action:
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