PHOTO | Tom Hewlett scores a spectacular goal to extend Belper's lead (Pic: Mike Smith)
Belper saw off Coleshill Town 5-0 at the Raygar Stadium to finish pre-season with an impressive seven victories from nine matches.
The Nailers started quickly and the opening goal took only 7 minutes. A cross in to the box found the head of Danny South and when he diverted the ball across the face of goal, Brodie Litchfield was on hand to expertly loop his own header in to the corner.
The lead was doubled on 21 minutes, Litchfield adding to his tally when he latched on to Hewlett’s through ball and calmly finished past Hathaway.
Coleshill’s first chance came on the half hour when Marsella played in Dainty, his shot was in to the side netting.
Mick Norbury made a couple of changes at the break with Dixon and Robson being introduced.
It took 9 minutes of the second half to effectively kill the game off. Tom Hewlett chested down the ball in the area before swivelling and releasing an unstoppable volley to make it 3-0.
Litchfield completed his hattrick after 58 minutes, with Tom Wilson drawing a couple of players away, Belper’s number 10 fired his shot in off the post.
A minute later a flurry of changes saw Brown, Peterson and Hinsley enter the fray.
The fifth and final goal saw Kyle Dixon release Oliver Lobley down the left hand side and the full back turned the opposition defenders inside and out before slotting home, amid an afternoon of great finishes from the team in yellow.
Ross Durrant pulled off a wonder save on 75 minutes from Forbes’ point blank shot and shortly after Max Culverwell took his place to play the remainder of the match.
The Nailers ran out 5-0 winners and go into their NPL Premier Division campaign in fine form.
Belper Town: Durrant (Culverwell 78), Rhodes (Dixon 45), Lobley, B. Middleton, South (Brown 59), Gibson, H. Middleton, Wilson, Hewlett (Hinsley 59), Litchfield (Peterson 59), Morris (Robson 45).
Unused sub: Barrass.
Coleshill Town: Hathaway, Ashmore, Hendrickson, Dainty, Higginson, Doyle, Molesworth, Willis, Marsella, Philips, Washbourne. Subs: Sandhu, Tonge, Jardine, Rowe, Ramsey, Forbes.
Referee: Harry Jones (Derby)
Attendance: 207