North Ferriby, last season’s Northern Counties East League Champions were swept away with a superb attacking display that could, and maybe should have yielded more goals.

Former Nailers’ ‘keeper Tom Jackson held the Nailers at bay with some super stops with Cameron Johnson suffering the most from Jackson’s brilliance.

Manager Lee Attenborough restored Ben Algar to left back with Ben Rhodes reverting to his more accustomed role on the right. James Cadman made the starting line up with Alex Troke left on the bench.

Curtis Burrows brought Tom Jackson into action as early as the second minute with a free kick saved by the Villagers ‘keeper, and then on the counterattack Ferriby’s Danny East shot straight at Jonathan Hedge in the Belper goal.

Moments later and Hedge had to tip over a looping header, but in the 11th minute Kevin Bastos made his first meaningful contribution with a run and shot that was well blocked.

Hedge was involved again on 21 minutes when he gathered a cross shot and was there again to save another Ferriby effort on 35 minutes.

While the hosts were active in the Belper half it was the Nailers who broke the deadlock in the 40th minute when a Burrows free kick was challenged for by Phil Watt and the ball ricocheted to Bastos whose shot went in off the post.

Bastos was causing all sorts of problems in the latter stages of the first half although his crosses into the six-yard area failed to find a yellow shirt.

A large Nailers contingent were treated to a fantastic second half which began when Johnson turned and fired straight at Jackson in the 48th minute.

The Nailers might have conceded on 55 minutes when Joel Shortland raced through on goal, but Algar made a great saving tackle.

Watt volleyed a good chance wide following another Burrows free kick on 57 minutes, then Johnson looked certain to extend Belper’s lead with a weaving run that took him past the ‘keeper, but incredibly put his shot into the side netting.

Johnson had two more shots brilliantly blocked in the 70th and 71st minutes, then a minor scare came for Belper when Danny Emerton’s free kick cannoned off the cross bar as the Villagers pushed forward.

There were acres of space when Belper won back the ball and the goals started flowing. Declan Dunn’s perfectly aimed shot from the edge of the penalty area found the net on 82 minutes to give the Nailers some breathing space.

Then on 89 minutes another Johnson effort was blocked, however as the ball came out to Alex Troke, he struck an even better shot from similar distance to confirm victory for Belper.

The icing on the cake came in added time when Johnson picked out Bastos at the far post and the Belper striker nodded home to send Belper supporters into raptures.

Belper’s win kept them at the top of the table, and they will hope to keep this excellent winning streak going when Dunstan visit the Raygar on Saturday.

North Ferriby United: Jackson, Dennett, Chadburn, Claisse (Buttle 69), Tilsley, Johnson J, Earl, Easy, Corner, Sanyang (Emerton 61), Shortland (Berchil 69). Unused subs: Exall, Green.

Belper Town: Hedge, Algar, Rhodes, Dunn, South, Watt, Cadman (Martin 88), Warren (Troke 79), Bastos, Johnson C, Burrows. Unused subs: Bassadi, Austin, Molyneaux.

Referee: Connor Everard

Att: 473