With only one win in seven games, the last thing that Belper needed was to field an understrength side, but departures, holiday commitments and suspensions all worked against the Nailers.

With Fankwe and Keenan suspended, Evans on holiday and Tague and Fenton departed, Rhodes moved into the centre of defence with Wafula filling in at left back and Moran at right back.

While both full backs performed well the visitors exposed some shortcomings in the second half and recovered from a goal down at the break to take all the points.

A Jones free kick in the 11th minute was the first moment of danger from either side, but fortunately the ball fizzed across the six-yard box and out of play.

Shaw’s effort on 15 minutes after some good approach play went straight to Avery in the Steelmen’s goal, then Perkins’ run and cross for the visitors reached Warburton but his effort was quickly blocked.

Gratton’s shot from the edge of the penalty area on 29 minutes was charged down by Matthews, then the Nailers were fortunate not to concede when Crawford ran unchallenged towards the Belper goal, and as the ball bobbled his effort went well wide.

The Nailers edged possession in the first half and when Moran hooked the ball over the line in the 43rd minute to send the Nailers into the break ahead at half time, there was no indication of what was to come in the second half.

To Corby’s credit they looked a different team and after De Girolamo’s shot on the turn went close on 48 minutes, little was seen of the Belper attacking effort until the later stages of the game.

Perkins missed an easy chance at the far post for the visitors, then Jones struck a venomous effort from almost thirty yards that Preston did well to push over.

The pressure increased from Corby and Belper’s defence occasionally creaked at the seams, and it came as no surprise when the Steelmen equalised when Warburton executed a clever flick with his right foot to send Corby level.

The majority of the large crowd looked on in dismay when Corby went ahead on 75 minutes, and it was Warburton again who deflected a low drive past Preston to send the travelling fans wild.

The Nailers summoned strength to mount a fight back for the remainder of the game, but despite a header and then a shot from Moran who had been moved up front there was little to worry Avery in the Corby goal.

Pressure from Belper late on forced the Steelmen to work a bit harder for their victory, and if Austin’s shot had been on target in the 84th minute a draw would have been probably more than the Nailers deserved.

Belper Town: Preston, Moran, Wafula, Austin, Broadhead, Rhodes, Bastos, Burrows, De Girolamo (Edwards 78), Gratton, Shaw (Tsolakis 71). Unused subs: Frost.

Corby Town: Avery, Smith, Allen, Matthews, Warburton, Gothard, Crawford, Jones, Odiagwu (Halliday 68), Challinor (Wren 68), Perkins. Unused subs: Martindale, Braham, Tsvetkov.

Referee: Joshua Drake

Att: 720

Match Sponsors: Carlsberg Britvic

Sponsors’ Man of the Match: Jack Broadhead.