The Pilgrims kindly agreed to step into the breach left by Rotherham United’s late withdrawal from the fixture and there were no complaints from supporters who were treated to a very entertaining 90 minutes with both teams playing some excellent football.
There was never a dull moment as the game proceeded at a breathless pace and it was the Nailers who were handed the first opportunity in the 4th minute when Craig Nelthorpe swung a free kick from the edge of the penalty area over the cross bar.
Brodie Lichfield’s well timed pass gave Jonathan Margetts an early sight of goal 2 minutes later but the Nailers’ striker steered his shot just wide of the far post.
Belper’s defensive input was excellent all evening and a typical example was Danny South’s intervention to block Jake Wright Jnr’s effort on 14 minutes. Jordan Burrow went close with a shot soon afterwards, and then Margetts cheekily tried to catch the Pilgrims’ ‘keeper off his line but didn’t find the target.
Myles Wright was performing well in the Belper goal and pulled off an excellent save to deny Wright Jnr. in the 21st minute, and then Pilgrims’ full back Joe Leesley lost possession to Ben Sandhu who surged forward and unleashed a powerful shot just over the bar.
The visitors were getting into their stride at this stage of the game although the Nailers were coping well enough, and also hitting Boston on the break whenever they could.
In the 35th minute the Pilgrims conceded a penalty when Jamie Sharman appeared to needlessly bundle over Jonathan Margetts in the penalty area, and Craig Nelthorpe smashed home the penalty to give the Nailers the lead.
Andre Johnson who had come on for Alex Peterson in the 15th minute went very close to extending Belper’s lead on the stroke of half time when he twisted and turned inside the penalty area and side footed his shot against the foot of the post.
Jonathan Margetts nearly doubled the Nailers’ lead 4 minutes into the second half when he put his shot just wide at the near post; however the Pilgrims snatched an equaliser in the 50th minute when Scott Garner sneaked in unseen at the far post to nod home from close range.
Boston introduced various substitutions which judging by their squad numbers was more representative of their first team.
It showed, as they pressed forward increasingly as the game wore on and Jordan Preston went close to giving the Pilgrims the lead with a shot that flashed just over the bar, but the Nailers were magnificent in defence in these latter stages.
The Nailers almost won it in the 77th minute when Jonathan Margetts broke clear of the Boston defence and with the ‘keeper rushing out, he had to strike the ball quickly and it rolled past the far post and out of play.
It had been an enthralling game and a great advert for non- league football.

Belper Town: Wright M, Woodcock, Nelthorpe, Gregory, South, Bertram, Sandhu, Litchfield, Peterson, Margetts, Curtis. Subs (all used): Watts, Kozluk, Williams, Robinson, Wright, Reeves.

Boston United: George Sykes-Kenworthy (Trialist A 46); Keenan Ferguson (Luke Shiels 73), Jamie Sharman (Matt Tootle 68), Jake Wright Snr (Scott Garner 46), Joe Leesley (Scott Duxbury 68); Terry Hawkridge, Andi Thanoj (Tom Platt 73), Connor Dimaio (Paul Green 60), Jordan Preston (Jay Rollins 68); Jordan Burrow (Fraser Preston 60), Jake Wright Jnr (Danny Elliott 60).

Referee: Elliott Swallow.

Att: 278