Stevo's late winner secures the points

The Nailers gave home debuts to their three new signings, Jordan Hall, Ollie Ryan and Jon Froggatt while Mickey Harcourt and Ben Walker were on the bench having returned from injury and suspension respectively.

Belper suffered a blow in only the 2nd minute of the game when Andy Rushbury had to be helped off the field nursing an arm injury and he was replaced by Simon Mirfin.

Later he had to be taken by ambulance to hospital where he required surgery for a double fracture of the forearm.

From the resulting free kick Lee Stevenson (pictured)drilled the ball wide from just outside the penalty area, but after 10 minutes of Belper pressure, Quorn broke in the 15th minute, and Tom Byrne over hit his cross when Liam Turner was running in at the far post.

Quorn created a good opportunity in the 19th minute after Ashley Robinson released the ball to Byrne who, after making the space for a shot, put the ball wide with only Adam Ogden to beat.

Belper nearly opened the scoring on 24 minutes after a good move involving Jon Froggatt and Ollie Ryan, but Ryan overran his colleague’s clever pass and ended up clashing with Steve Norris, and being cautioned.

More pressure from Belper saw the Nailers trying to create an opening and in the 34th minute Lee Stevenson unsuccessfully tried to curl a shot in at the far post, but the ball went wide.

Ryan came close to squeezing the ball in on 36 minutes, but Norris blocked the ball well, and from the corner kick, Richard Adams saw his header kicked off the line by Joe Shaw.

The Nailers finished the half in the ascendancy and should have scored from Jordan Hall’s 42nd minute corner kick that dropped into the six yard area without a Belper player getting a touch.

Deep into the added on time for Andy Rushbury’s injury, the Nailers took the lead after Jon Froggatt’s free kick bounced around the six yard area before Lee Stevenson volleyed the ball high into the net.

The Nailers began the second half searching for a second goal that would confirm their dominance of the game.

But they found it difficult to capitalise on their superior possession, and Jordan Hall’s free kick that went well wide from just outside the area capped a disappointing start to the second period.

Quorn were literally inches away from scoring an equaliser in the 60th minute when Tom Byrne’s cross shot went over Ogden and hit the inside of the post with the Belper ‘keeper gratefully claiming in at the foot of the opposite post.

Lee Stevenson could have scored seconds later as the Nailers counter attacked but with the goal almost at his mercy, he tapped the ball into Norris’s arms.

Ollie Ryan met Hall’s 65th minute cross perfectly but his volley was beaten away by the Quorn ‘keeper, and then the same player swung his foot at a loose ball in the 70th minute but his shot sped just wide of the far post.

But things started to go wrong for Belper when Quorn danger man Tom Byrne forced an equaliser for the visitors with a run from the right, and after his first shot was blocked the ball rebounded into the net.
Belper were faced with effectively having to start again but the Quorn defenders sensed that a point, or maybe three, were there for the taking and hardened their resolve.

But the Nailers managed retake the lead in the 88th minute as Lee Stevenson headed his 23rd goal of the season when he converted Ben Walker’s cross, and Belper claimed the victory that their overall performance deserved.

BELPER TOWN
Ogden, Colliver, Haigh, Telling, Adams, Naylor, Hall (Walker 71). Stevenson, Ryan (Hindley 80), Froggatt, Rushbury (Murfin 7). Other subs: Harcourt, Fedorenko

QUORN
Norris, Shaw, Purton (Smith 89), Keast, Matthews, North, Wood (Papparozzi 89), Robinson, Byrne, Turner, Peel. Other subs; Langham, White, Simpson

Goalscorers

BELPER TOWN
Lee STEVENSON(45)
Lee STEVENSON(88)

QUORN
Tom BYRNE (73)

Referee: Sian Massey (Coventry)

Attendance: 205

Man of the Match: Tom NAYLOR

Match Action
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