The Nailers had six players named on the bench although Josh Mansell, Jacon Gratton and Ben Rhodes weren’t fit enough to take part.

Jack Broadhurst was reinstated at centre back while Jordan Fankwe, by necessity, filled in at right back. Jack Rogers and Lewis Austin were handed their first starts.

The Doughboys went into this game brimming with confidence having won all six of their opening league and cup games, and by the end of Saturday’s tie, they had won their seventh.

It was a very tight affair with both teams having good spells and giving as good as they received.

The Nailers struck first when Harry Draper met Jack Edwards’ free kick and nodded the ball down for Ioan Evans to drill the ball home.

Unfortunately, Belper’s lead was short lived as the hosts grabbed an equaliser two minutes later.

The Nailers have conceded a few goals on the right hand near post this season and George Ball opened that weakness again with a rising angled shot that flew past Kieron Preston.

Glenn Walker nearly breached the Belper defence on 17 minutes only for Zayn Hakeem to head the ball wide, then Ball provided a similar cross to the far post moments later that Hakeem just failed to reach.

Rogers’ 24th minute free kick caused problems at the far post for the hosts with a corner kick being the outcome, then Neo Richard-Noel’s shot was deflected up and over defenders and was safely collected by Preston.

Another Edwards free kick on 38 minutes needed the intervention of Dean Snedker, and at this point the Nailers were playing some attractive football and pegging Wellingborough back.

Louis Keenan was in the right place to make a goal line clearance on the stroke of half time; however, the Nailers had been good value over the first forty-five minutes.

The second half was lively enough although very few opportunities were created by either side in the first twenty minutes or so.

Ethan Johnson had his effort saved on 67 minutes, then as the Nailers were forced into making changes, the momentum slowly turned in the Doughboys’ favour.

Hakeem was inches away with a curling effort that struck the cross bar on 68 minutes, and moments later the Nailers went close when Rogers’ cross from the right was headed just wide by Tom Eccleshall who had only entered the field of play seconds earlier.

Wellingborough substitute Danny Draper turned the game the Doughboys way when he created space from a corner kick and sent a fine effort into the far corner of the net on 77 minutes.

The Nailers tried in vain to get back on level terms, but once they had gone behind in the tie, they didn’t look like they were going to get back on level terms.

Wellingborough Town: Snedker, Green, Walker, Kelly, O’Connor, Slim, Ball, Buckby, Richard-Noel (Draper D 63), Johnston (Webster 80), Hakeem. Unused subs: Edwards B, Hicks.

Belper Town: Preston, Fankwe, Keenan, Austin (Burrows 80, Broadhead, Evans, Edwards (Eccleshall 69), Wafula, Draper (Draper 63), Rogers, Kuleya. Unused subs: Mabell, Gratton, Rhodes.

Referee: Mason Bussey

Att: 126