How they didn’t win this fixture is difficult to explain as it was virtually all one-way traffic after the break, but somehow the Gingerbreads survived the onslaught.

Lee Attenborough went with the same starting line up that beat Bedworth the previous weekend and there was a new face on the bench with Joel Stevens joining the Nailers on loan from Notts County.

Tav Kuleya went close to opening the scoring with a crisply struck near post shot in the 7th minute that Jack Steggles managed to block.

A positive start from the Nailers received a set back in the 13th minute when the visitors took the lead. Belper failed to properly deal with a corner kick and Ryan Rushen hit an angled shot into the far corner of the goal.

The Nailers didn’t allow this set back to affect them and Josh Mansell tested Steggles at the foot of the post with a driven shot on 22 minutes.

Belper survived an anxious moment soon afterwards when Rushen’s cross was headed against the foot of the post by Lee Shaw.

Belper continued to control possession but were wasteful when it came to making the most of promising situations.

Just before the half ended some great forward play saw Danny Gordon’s effort tipped over the bar and from the ensuing corner kick, Louis Keenan forced the ball over the line for the equaliser just before the halftime whistle.

The second half proved to be a succession of Belper attacks; some leading to good chances and many others creating promising situations.

Tyrell Waite sent his shot over the cross bar after a good move on 58 minutes, then moments later he couldn’t direct a header towards goal from a corner kick.

Waite challenged Steggles on 61 minutes and as the ‘keeper dropped the ball the Belper striker couldn’t make the most of it.

Gordon was a whisker away from scoring after bursting into the penalty area in the 65th minute, but his shot cleared the far post by a matter of inches.

Jonathan Wafula set Waite up for a shot five minutes later, but Steggles made the save, then Kuleya’s run nearly paid dividends, but his goal bound effort was deflected wide.

A quick break away from the Nailers in the 78th minute ended with Kuleya’s shot coming back off the upright, then Waite couldn’t reach the ball seconds later and headed wide.

Despite the constant pressure, Grantham broke away in the 89th minute and Jordan Fankwe brought the player down just outside the penalty area and was yellow carded for his action.

The Gingerbreads couldn’t capitalise on the dangerous free kick and Belper had to settle for a point despite everything they had done in the game.

Belper Town: Preston, Mansell, Gordon (Rhodes 81), Fankwe, Keenan, Evans, Gratton, Wafula, Waite, Greaves (Edwards 72), Kuleya (Stevens 84). Unused subs: Broadhead, Rogers.

Grantham Town: Steggles, Saad, Bartle, Rajter, Braithwaite, Dougill, Smith (Munns 87), Shaw (Bakare 72), Rushen, Langford (Wright 62), Czerwak. Unused subs: Gadomski, Griffiths.

Referee: Matt Rose

Att: 473

Man of the Match: Tavonga Kuleya