Nailers Embarrassed As They Concede Seven At Stockton

With both teams sitting equally on top of the form table this was the last result that anyone would have expected, and it was a shock to the system for a healthy contingent of Nailers’ supporters who made the 260-mile round trip.

Belper were without two of their best players in leading scorer Kevin Bastos and Curtis Burrows, but really this was no explanation or excuse for a dismal performance.

The 3G surface didn’t help their cause as the high bounce of the ball and the speed at which the Anchors were able to pass it proved very difficult for Belper to come to terms with.

Strangely enough, the Nailers made a positive start to the game and put considerable pressure on the Stockton goal, but they couldn’t fashion a decent opportunity.

James Cadman had a fierce drive blocked and hit the rebound over the top in the 6th minute, however the warning signs were there when the Anchors broke away and Michael Fowler flashed a volley just wide of the post.

After more good pressure from Belper the hosts punished the Nailers on 15 minutes when they sliced through the Belper rearguard and Fowler drilled in an angled shot to score.

Belper just collapsed after this, and they couldn’t cope with what the hosts threw at them. Michael Roberts had a tap in on 20 minutes after another break caught the Nailers hopelessly in disarray.

Jonathan Hedge saved well from another Fowler effort on 24 minutes and then the game was virtually over as a contest when Kevin Hayes steered home an easily created opportunity in the 28th.

When Stephen Thompson netted number 4 on 39 minutes disbelieving Nailers supporters were beginning to wonder how many their team would concede with the second half yet to play.

As in the first half, Belper started well and put pressure on the Anchors’ six-yard area and a goal mouth scramble nearly produced a goal that might have kick started a revival.

Then an alarming 5-minute spell put paid to any lingering hopes as the hosts made a mockery of Belper defending. Roberts ran clear and unchallenged on 58 minutes to slam the ball past Hedge to make it 5 – 0.

Barely a minute later and Hedge was picking the ball out of the net again when Kevin Hayes snatched his second, and the Anchors’ striker claimed his hat trick in the 63rd minute to leave the Nailers shocked, stunned and embarrassed.

The majority of the 666 crowd probably couldn’t believe what they were seeing, and it seemed as though Stockton were embarrassed too as they cooled off their onslaught and consequently Belper saw more of the ball in the latter stages.

Kieran Walker scored a consolation goal for the Nailers in the 71st minute but this had been an awful afternoon the memory of which may only partially be erased with a vital win against Newton Aycliffe on Tuesday evening.

Stockton Town: Roberts C, King, McWilliams, Henry, Nicholson, Coulthard (Mulligan D 61), Hayes, Butterworth, Fowler (Fowler 60), Thompson (Painter 59), Roberts M. Unused subs: Hasse, Mulligan N.

Belper Town: Hedge, Rhodes, Dolan (Bessadi 18), Dunn, South, Watt, Cadman (Troke 57), Warren, James (Mackie 64), Johnson, Walker. Unused subs: Gregory, Austin.

Referee: David Pill

Att: 666