It had taken the Nailers until the thirteenth game of the season to replicate their goal scoring form of previous seasons, and to keep a clean sheet was an added bonus.

The Saints promoted reserve team manager Mark Field to first team manager and there were many new faces in the Saints line up as they faced an unchanged Belper side.

The Nailers welcomed back top goalscorer Harry Draper who made a surprise return due to a change of work commitments, and Belper had one of the strongest benches seen for a long time.

Belper found the new Saints line up tough opposition and the hosts worked hard to close the Nailers down and attack on the break.

Jonathan Wafula’s clever run set up Jacob Gratton on 5 minutes, but his shot was deflected just wide for a corner kick.

Jerome Greaves got up well to nod the ball down to Tav Kuleya in the 15th minute, but Tav’s angled shot didn’t find the target.

Gratton almost set up Greaves with a clever pass on 25 minutes, but the Belper striker’s ball control let him down when it counted most.

Oli Brookes headed well wide on 32 minutes and although the home team were having an equal share of the ball, the Nailers rarely had any anxious moments.

A good chance fell to Wafula on 34 minutes and although he didn’t connect initially a favourable bounce of the ball enable him to have a snapshot that Zak Massoud did well to push wide.

Belper deservedly took the lead in the 43rd minute when Gratton’s 43rd minute corner found Ioan Evans at the far post and the Nailers’ skipper powered home a header at the far post.

Brookes nodded another effort wide on the stroke of half time however the Nailers were good value for the slender lead although a second goal would be very welcome.

They didn’t have to wait long for the second goal as it came very soon after the resumption of the second half.

Following a cross into a packed six-yard area Kuleya found space to prod the ball into the goal and gave the Nailers the confidence they needed to push on for more goals.

Tyrell Waite moved into a good shooting position in the 58th minute but Massoud held his first time effort well.

Kuleya had options as he found himself with the ball just inside the six-yard area and chose to have a go himself rather than bring another Belper player into play.

The introduction of Harry Draper certainly livened things up and he had only been on the field for a few minutes when he burst through and was brought down just inside the penalty area.

Gratton stepped up to send the ball past Massoud from the resulting spot kick, and the Nailers were now in complete control.

Massoud saved his team from going further behind when he got to Draper’s far post header, then Draper looked certain to score on 84 minutes when through on goal, but he sent his shot too close to the ‘keeper.

Gratton hit a superb fourth goal for Belper in the 85th minute after Draper had provided the assist, and Draper was in on goal again seconds after the restart, but an excellent defensive interception denied him.

Belper hit the fifth and final goal of the afternoon when Draper nodded the ball from a corner back across goal for Louis Keenan to score his third goal in four matches.

Draper was once again denied with a last-ditch tackle in the 88th minute, but the Nailers had done more than enough to send their supporters home from their longest journey of the season in a happy mood.

St Ives Town: Massoud, Yakubu, Olowojoba (Vanderpuye 73), Bahrey, Gothard, Brookes, White (Wright 60), Miles, Kakembo, Ankrah, Loueiro (Odimgbe 56). Unused subs: Hudson, Gordon.

Belper Town: Preston, Mansell, Gordon (Rhodes 76), Fankwe, Keenan, Evans, Gratton, Wafula (Burrows 73), Waite (Edwards 73), Greaves (Draper 63), Kuleya. Unused sub: Broadhead

Referee: Christopher Walton

Att: 172