Manager Peter Duffield selected an unchanged starting line-up for this local derby fixture against Sports which meant that Jamie Jackson, Anthony Rowley and Sam Duncum were watching from the touchline rather than in the squad.

Mickleover arrived at Christchurch Meadow with a similar record as the Nailers, having won two and lost one of the opening three fixtures and with a team sprinkled with former Belper Town players.

Chris Jones had an early opportunity to test Chris Martin but hit his shot just wide of the near post then Simeone Oshoboke couldn’t quite reach a cross from the right and the ball went safe.

Chris Jones went forward on 13 minutes and nearly created a scoring opportunity from within the penalty area but the assistant referee spotted an infringement.

Jones got on the end of a corner kick moments later and the ball dropped kindly for Chris Martin, however Nailers had got into their stride early on the game and were giving Sports plenty to think about.

The Nailers came within a whisker of scoring in the 22nd minute when Shaun Tuton picked out Chris Adam and he struck the ball first time and looked certain to score until Chris Martin got the slightest of touches to concede a corner kick.

However Belper took the lead from the corner after Richard Adams pounced on a loose ball and hooked it into the net to crown an impressive ten minute spell from the home side.

Belper split Mickleover wide open in the 24th minute when Colin Marrison found Jon Froggatt with an inch perfect cross and Belper’s leading scorer made no mistake from 6 yards to send the Nailers two goals up.

Belper cruised to 3-0 up in the 31st minute as a result of an excellent move culminating in Jon Froggatt’s unselfish pass to Chris Adam.

Adam’s cross shot flew straight to Shaun Tuton on the opposite side of the goal and he was able to steer the ball into the unguarded net.

Dwayne Whiteley put a header just wide from a 37th minute corner kick for the visitors, but the Nailers extended their lead in the 39th minute when Shaun Tuton got the better of Nico DeGirolamo and went on to fire past the exposed Chris Martin.

Belper almost made it five early in the second half when Chris Adam headed a Jon Froggatt cross just wide and at this stage everyone was waiting to see what response would come from Mickleover after disastrous first half from their perspective.

Sports made two quick substitutions in the opening 10 minutes of the half, but it was Belper who looked most likely to get the next goal.

Jordan Hall took the ball 50 yards for Sports before crossing into space but the Nailers dealt with the threat well, then there was a scramble for the ball in the 64th minute and Scot Low came out on top although Dan White needed treatment after being caught in the middle of the scrum.

Jon Froggatt missed a great chance in the 69th minute after Simon Harrison intercepted the ball on the edge of the penalty area and put a low cross to Froggatt who put his shot agonisingly wide from close in.

The visitors had more possession as the half progressed and the Nailers occupied themselves more with containment and the occasional foray forward as Mickleover moved further and further up field searching for a goal.

Both teams kept going at a fast pace despite the heat of this glorious Bank Holiday Monday, but for all the possession that the visitors had in the latter stages, Scot Low had very few if any direct shots to save.

Mark Ward was inches away from capping a great afternoon for the Nailers with an audacious dipping volley from 22 yards that just cleared the cross bar, and the Belper could look back on a very successful Bank Holiday weekend that yielded 6 points, 10 goals and with only 2 conceded.

Belper Town: Low, Jones (Roulston 89), Thompson, Cotton, Adams, White, Marrison, Warne, Froggatt (Ward 80), Tuton, Adam (Harrison 68). Unused subs: Rushbury, Ratcliffe.

Mickleover Sports: Martin, Bryant, Grocott, Walshe, Whiley, DeGirolamo, Webster, Hall, Benger (Hatfield 51), Oshoboke, Ritchie-Smith (Ozmen 49). Unused subs: Davidson, Pendleton, O’Brien.

Referee: Neil Pratt (Birmingham)

Att: 278