More than seven hundred fans came to witness the first ever competitive game between the two clubs, and they weren’t disappointed as a fast-flowing exciting contest kept the crowd enthralled to the final whistle.

The Nailers made changes to their usual starting line up with Rhodes, Austin and Fenton dropping to the bench while Keenan wasn’t available.

This meant a new full back pairing of Tsolakis and Wafula while Burrows also started in midfield. The United lineup included a fair smattering of former Nailers which added further interest to the tie.

The Nailers began the game on the front foot with Moran almost netting after a rebound putting him in possession, then Bastos’ run ended with a shot that flashed beyond the back post on 10 minutes.

Edwards came close to scoring for the visitors when his shot through a crowd of players was well held by Preston, then Gratton penetrated the United defence moments later, but his shot lacked conviction.

A key moment in the game arrived in the 28th minute when Gratton was put in possession by Moran and with the path towards goal clear, Francis blatantly pushed Gratton over leaving the referee with little choice but to produce a red card.

The resulting free kick from Burrows was brilliantly touched over the bar by Fryatt. The visitors survived a goalmouth scramble in the 35th minute and Tague saw his angled shot go just wide.

The Nailers deservedly went ahead on the stroke of half time after Bastos had run to the by line and delivered a telling cross that Moran volleyed home from close in.

However, there was still time before the break for United to grab an equalizer when O’Connell’s shot took a wicked deflection off Odunaiya to completely wrong foot Preston.

Belper were quickly back in front barely a minute into the second half when another superb Bastos run and cross was met with a first time shot from Tague that fizzed past Fryatt in the United goal.

Gratton fed Bastos in the 55th minute but his curling shot went wide then with the visitors making a mockery of their deficient numbers, Belper fans were relieved to see their team extend their lead when Wafula’s cross was fired home by Rhodes.

United continued to press forward and to their credit, the Nailers couldn’t relax even with a two-goal lead. Edwards brought a good save out of Fryatt moments after appearing as a substitute, and Fenton should really have put the game to bed but was denied by the ‘keeper and Edwards couldn’t do better with the follow up shot.

Bastos shot wide of the target on 81 minutes after some enterprising approach play, and then the visitors put the cat amongst the pigeons on 82 minutes when Johnson ran on to a long pass and squeezed the ball home just inside the post.

The Nailers remedy was to go up field and a grab a fourth goal straight from the restart as Edwards’ shot on the turn bounced and bobbled beyond Fryatt to rest in the far corner.

After a breath-taking, action-packed cup tie it was the Nailers who progress through to the next round, however United can be pleased with their performance and certainly did the United Counties League proud.

Belper Town: Preston, Tsolakis (Rhodes 59), Wafula (Frost 85), Fankwe, Broadhead, Evans, Bastos, Burrows, Moran (Edwards 72), Gratton (Gratton 74), Tague (Fenton 72).

Belper United: Fryatt, King (Steadman 79, Eccleshall, Rohilla (Tyson 46), Bryant, Francis, O’Connell, Edwards, Odunaiya (Johnson 79), Bruce (Brailsford 66), Smith. Unused sub: Ferron

Referee: Thomas Hales

Attendance: 717

Match Sponsor: Alley Barbers

Sponsors Man of the Match: Jacob Gratton