Manager Lee Attenborough named an unchanged team from the one that won at Brighouse two weeks ago, and a tough game was in prospect as the visitors were top of the form league.

As it turned out, Belper should have had the points in the bag well before half time, but top scorer Kevin Bastos had a challenging afternoon in front of goal and ended up being sent off in the final moments of the game.

Cameron Johnson had a good 5th minute free kick well saved by Jordan Porter and then had a good run with the ball moments later, but Kevy Tarangadzo got his tackle in before he could shoot.

Rhys Dolan, making his home debut provided a good cross from the left and Bastos headed over a difficult opportunity, however the scene was set for a frustrating afternoon for Belper’s leading striker.

Skipper Phil Watt put the Nailers ahead with a close-range header after the Sedge defenders failed to clear, then another effort from Johnson on 22 minutes was parried by Porter, however Bastos couldn’t convert the rebound.

In an action-packed period of the game, the Nailers won a penalty kick after Bastos was fouled in the 18-yard area. Unfortunately, the spot kick, taken by the same player, was easily saved by Porter who guessed rightly.

Bastos was in the right place again on 31 minutes when Rev James set him up for a close-range finish, but somehow, he managed to put the ball the wrong side of the post.

Liversedge hadn’t troubled Jonathan Hedge in the Belper goal up until this point, however he was helpless to prevent Simon Heslop’s free kick hit the outside of the bar to retain the status quo.

The visitors were in the game more after the break and Hedge had to save from Alex Wollerton’s effort on 50 minutes.

In the 54th minute Bastos turned provider when he did well to get a cross over to the far post for Dolan who couldn’t control his shot. Dolan returned the compliment 5 minutes later, but Bastos made a poor connection and made Porter’s save an easy one.

Porter kept his side in the game in the 69th minute when Declan Dunn hit a fine shot that the ‘keeper tipped over the cross bar, and the Nailers were finding that all important second goal difficult to get.

The last 20 minutes saw belief flowing into the visitors who were ready to take advantage of Belper’s inability to kill the game of, and play became very open with the risk of an equaliser a real one.

Adam Bassadi, recently introduced as a substitute, had a golden opportunity to confirm the points in the 86th minute, but after robbing the ball off Tarangadzo, he couldn’t get the better of Porter in a one-on-one situation and the Sedge ‘keeper saved brilliantly.

The game ended on a sour note when Bastos handled the ball believing he had been fouled. However, the referee wasn’t in accord with the Belper striker’s thinking and issued a yellow card.

A frustrated Bastos then encroached inside the 10-yard limit and intercepted the free kick leaving the referee no option but to issue a second yellow and a subsequent red card.

It was otherwise a good performance from the Nailers who have turned around their home form and are still very much one of the fancied teams in the division.

Belper Town: Hedge, Rhodes, Dolan, Dunn, South, Watt, Bastos, Warren, James (Bessadi 68), Johnson (Cadman 75)0, Walker. Unused subs: Troke, Mackie, Gregory.

Liversedge: Porter, Portman, Hardacre (Jagne 71), Toulson, Tarangadzo, Harris, Heslop (Heslop 57), Stockdill, Dawson (Raw 42), Walker, Wollerton. Unused subs: Viera Nan, Wilkinson.

Referee: George Caton

Att: 451