In a first meeting between the clubs in sixty years Bourne Town made their debut in the NPL Midlands after promotion from the United Counties League at the end of last season.

While they perhaps haven’t had the start to the campaign that they may have wished for, there are no easy games in this division however the Nailers should have made their victory more emphatic.

With Fankwe back in the team Burrows dropped to the bench but otherwise it was the same personnel that have served Lee Attenborough well so far this season.

A key feature of the game was Bastos’ ill luck and personal battle with Wakes’ ‘keeper Swan who not only kept his team in contention with some great saves he was also to deny Belper’s leading score from the penalty spot too.

Any late comers will have missed the Bastos show in the first ten minutes, and his first effort came from a superb Preston clearance with Bastos’ half volley hitting the post from eighteen yards.

Fenton’s run and cross in the 5th minute found Bastos who drilled the ball goal bound at considerable velocity only for Swan to come out of his goal and block brilliantly.

In the 9th minute Bastos was there again with a neat turn into space and a beautifully struck curling effort that came back off the cross bar with Swan beaten.

The hosts began to get a grip on the game after 20 minutes or so and put the Nailers under pressure but nothing that the Belper back line couldn’t handle.

Fenton had a sight of goal on 22 minutes, but his shot went straight to the ‘keeper and then Bastos was involved yet again with a brilliant effort that Swan miraculously got a hand too.

Bastos was hacked down by Jones in the 36th minute and was shown a straight red by referee Ruddock, leaving Wakes a man short for the remainder of the game.

The Nailers finished the half strongly with a shot from Austin that fizzed past the post and a remarkable run along the bye line by Gratton and a shot that almost rolled across the goal line.

Bastos was back in the limelight again on 50 minutes when he was bundled over by a Bourne defender and the referee immediately pointed to the penalty spot. Unfortunately, Swan continued to have the better luck, and he dived to stop what was really a poor penalty kick from Bastos.

Swan denied Fenton with another great stop moments later then the Nailers were awarded another spot kick after Swan had brought Moran down.

This time Gratton made no mistake from the spot, and the Nailers finally had a grip on the game. Moran was denied yet again by ‘keeper Swan in the 72nd minute then Bastos headed a presentable opportunity wide from a corner kick.

A combination of passes on the break started by Bastos with contributions from Gratton and Moran led to substitute Tague to drive the ball home off the underside of the bar to virtually claim the points for Belper.

Belper were in control of the remainder of the game without adding to their score, and this was the kind of dominant performance that was required on the day and will no doubt be needed in the games to come.

Bourne Town: Swan, Milne, Blythe (O’Brien 83), Ellis, Marshall, Jones, Furey, Bayly (Burrows 46), Siddons (Darlington 64), Eyett, Allen Unused subs: Lievins, Bird.

Belper Town: Preston, Rhodes, Keenan, Fankwe, Broadhead, Evans, Bastos (Wafula 81), Austin (Burrows 64), Moran, Gratton, Fenton (Tague 73). Unused subs: Tsolakis, Edwards.

Referee: Ian Ruddock

Att: 321