Nailers disappoint in North Lincolnshire

The Nailers record against sides in the lower reaches of the division is concerning because valuable points needed in the frantic chase for top spot have been dropped, notably at Spalding a few weeks ago, and now against the Zebras.

Matt Telling (pictured)was back in the starting line up with Krystof Kotylo reverting to substitute, with Danny Hudson and Anthony Wilson making up an otherwise depleted looking bench.

Lee Stevenson’s long range effort in the 3rd minute ended up being a pass to Luke Fedorenko, and the Belper wide man put over a good cross that eluded the available Belper players.

But it wasn’t a fluent start for the Nailers who had long spells of inaccurate passing and were fortunate in the 7th minute when Daniel Barrett’s mis-hit shot hit the foot of the post, and they managed to survive the ensuing scramble.

Jon Froggatt found Fedorenko in the 9th minute with one of Belper’s better moves, and the resulting shot to the far post was touched wide by Andrew Pettinger, and Fedorenko was involved again in the 16th minute when he slipped the ball through the Brigg defence and Stevenson prodded it straight at the ‘keeper.

It was generally a poor quality first half with neither side looking capable of scoring, although a rare moment of excitement came in the 28th minute when Fedorenko just missed out on the chase for the ball with Pettinger.

A minute later and Belper came close to getting the opener with Fedorenko supplying the cross into the box and Lee Stevenson unlucky to see his hook shot flash by the far post.

Ollie Ryan appeared to be tripped inside the penalty area in the 33rd minute, and it looked a dead cert penalty kick, but the referee who had few friends left by the end of the game, waved away claims.

The Zebras shocked Belper with a superbly taken goal on the stroke of half time when Andy Holt turned and dispatched a well struck angled drive in off the underside of the cross bar, and the Nailers fortunes only got worse after the break.

James Colliver handled the ball inside the penalty area in the 53rd minute leaving Zebras’ skipper Luke Smith to put his side further ahead by converting the spot kick, and shortly afterwards Jason Maxwell hit the bar with a looping header.

The Nailers tried to fight back and found that luck wasn’t on their side.

Lee Stevenson couldn’t make proper contact with the ball when it fell kindly for him 6 yards out, the in the 69th minute he forced his way through only to hit the upright with Anthony Wilson’s follow up shot blocked on the goal line.

Wilson was denied a penalty when he fell under a heavy challenge from a Brigg defender, and on 77 minutes he struck the bar with a volley from 12 yards, and by now it was becoming obvious it wasn’t going to be Belper’s night.

Michael Jacklin missed an absolute sitter in the 82nd minute as the Nailers found themselves stretched at the back, but Belper’s misery was completed three minutes later when Holt headed the third from a corner kick.

The final score line certainly didn’t reflect the pattern of play, and defeat was the last thing that they had reckoned on before kick off.

Brigg Town: Pettinger, Spafford, Smith, Clarke, Helewell, Cochrane (Jacklin 39), Spall, Lamb, Holt, Maxwell (Grimes 62), Barrett. Subs. not used: Chappell, West, Barford.

Belper Town: Ogden, Colliver, Adams, Telling, Harcourt, Haigh (Wilson 57), Fedorenko (Kotylo 57), Stevenson, Froggatt, Ryan, Naylor. Subs. not used: Hudson, Middleton, Carney.

Referee: M White (Driffield)

Attendance: 88

Main of the Match: James Colliver

Match Action:
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