The Nailers were looking to bounce back from their FA Trophy defeat the previous Saturday and they welcomed back defender Richard Adams from injury while Liam Davis came in instead of Joe Conkleton, who was named as a substitute.

The Rom’s arrived at Christchurch Meadow in 9th place in the league table just one point behind the Nailers in 6th but having played two games more.

Chris Adam was involved for the first time since mid-September and was also named on the bench.

Belper nearly conceded within seconds of the start when Liam Davis lost possession and moments later Tom Turton shot tamely at Dave Ratcliffe when he should surely have made more of the opportunity.

Jon Froggatt headed a Sam Duncum cross that drifted to Lewis Exall in the 10th minute then Steve Warne put a good opportunity wide from a Simon Harrison cross.

Harrison carried the ball 25 yards but disappointed with an under hit shot that trickled straight to the ‘keeper, however the Nailers were beginning to string some passes together and looked more dangerous.

Jon Froggatt should have put Belper ahead on 17 minutes when Richard Adams’ long clearance bamboozled the Rom’s defence and Froggatt only needed to lob the ball over the ‘keeper, but Lewis Exall managed to get a hand to the ball and made the save.

Chris Jones fired over the top in the 21st minute after some good work from Shaun Tuton in creating the opportunity with some tricky footwork.

Luke Keen had a rare effort on goal for the visitors on 25 minutes but Dave Ratcliffe was equal to the task, then after Chris Jones failed to clear properly, Tom Turton decided to have a go from 22 yards but failed to find the target.

The Nailers went ahead on 31 minutes when Shaun Tuton put the ball in from the bye line where Jon Froggatt was on hand to score his first goal since the beginning of October from close in.

Tuton nearly added a second moments later when he ran through and looked odds-on to score but the ‘keeper managed to get a hand to the ball and in the 38th minute he raced through again only to put his shot past the far post.

However the Nailers strengthened their grip on the game in the 40th minute when Richard Adams sent a powerful header into the back of the net from a corner kick.

Shaun Tuton put a 43rd minute header over the bar from 8 yards, but the Nailers let Romulus back in the game in the last minute of the half when Richard Adams was adjudged to have handled the ball and Marcus Brown made no mistake from the penalty spot.

There was an unsightly incident just before the half time whistle in which three players were booked and the Rom’s Craig Marshall was considered a little fortunate to get away with just a yellow card after clashing with Jon Froggatt.

The Nailers started the second half well and pressurised the visitors’ goal causing the Rom’s to struggle at times to get the ball cleanly away.

Simon Harrison contrived to head the ball over when it seemed easier to find the target from a Sam Duncum cross in the 53rd minute as the Nailers were anxious to restore their two goal lead as quickly as possible.

Jon Froggatt was thwarted by a diving save from Lewis Exall in the 56th minute as the Belper striker struck a fine shot from outside the area, but then Belper were indebted to Dave Ratcliffe on 60 minutes when he stopped Luke Keen’s point-blank shot after the Rom’s player had run unseen around the back.

After some Romulus pressure that was beginning to cast doubt on Belper’s ability to hang on to the points, Simon Harrison restored their two-goal lead with an accomplished finish on 65 minutes when he completed a stylish hook shot in to the far corner.

Jon Froggatt saw Lewis Exall pull off a magnificent save to deny the Belper striker an almost certain goal from a 70th minute free kick and the Rom’s ‘keeper denied Froggatt again, this time from the penalty spot, after Lee Smith hauled Sam Duncum down on 73 minutes.

Duncum was unlucky two minutes later when he cut inside and stuck a curling effort just over the cross bar, but Richard Adams banished any lingering doubts with a firm header from a Simon Harrison corner kick in the 82nd minute.

Belper retained control for the remainder of the game and ran out comfortable winners in the end.

Belper Town: Ratcliffe, Jones, Davis, Cotton G (Ward 89), Watt, Adams, Harrison (Davies 85), Warne, Froggatt, Tuton, Duncum (Adam 85). Subs: Conkleton.

Romulus: Exall, Wynter, Caines, Lee, Francis, Smith (Downes 88), Brown, O’Callaghan, Marshall (Dubidat 90), Turton, Keen. Subs: Evans, Cotton M.

Referee: Adam Burgess (Killamarsh)

Att: 166

Match Sponsor: Alan Benfield Limited

Man of the Match: Richard Adams

Nigel Oldrini