Turner returns to haunt Belper

Steve Warne receives the congratulations after giving Belper the lead (PHoto: Tim Harrison)

The Nailers were looking for their third consecutive league victory with the visit of Rainworth, who had former Belper players Jordan Turner and Mark Camm in their line up.

Danny Meakin, a recent signing from Matlock Town made his debut in place of Andy Rushbury who dropped to substitute.

Kieran Walker nearly opened the scoring for the visitors inside the first minute with a shot against the foot of the post, but it was the Nailers who found the back of the net in the 3rd when Steve Warne steered the ball wide of Joe McCormack to score his first goal of the season.

Karl Colley was booked for a foul in the 9th minute although Sam Craven wasted the dead ball opportunity by shooting high and wide, then Blair Anderson did the same with another free kick in the 15th minute.

For the next 15 minutes or so both sides cancelled each other out, but Belper’s tendency to give fouls away close to the penalty area put them under unnecessary pressure.

Sam Craven put over one of the best crosses of the night so far in the 37th minute and Dave Ratcliffe did well to keep focused and claim the ball.

Jordan Turner nearly supplied the perfect cross in the 41st minute when the ball eluded Ratcliffe and Aaron Pride had to smartly put the ball out of play, then Belper caught Rainworth on the break when Shaun Tuton supplied Danny Deakin on the left, and was on hand to head the resulting cross against the cross bar.

A second goal was a priority for the Nailers as the second half got underway and they started in the right spirit with some good football in the early stages.

Jordan Turner had a speculative effort go high over the bar in the 49th minute for the visitors, and then Karl Colley put a header just wide for the Nailers.

But this was virtually Colley’s last positive contribution in the game as in the 59th minute he lunged into Jordan Turner on the touchline, and the referee had little choice but to show the Belper defender a second yellow card.

Belper looked certain to score in the 65th minute when Steve Warne made good progress into the box before slipping the ball through to Richard Stirrup, but Joe McCormick made a brilliant point blank save to prevent Belper taking a stranglehold on the game.

However seconds later Rainworth had equalised when Ricky Hanson headed in a cross from the right at the far post leaving the Nailers looking around for someone to blame.

The Nailers continued to show good presence in attack despite having one fewer players on the field although clear-cut opportunities were at a premium.

Jordan Turner had a shot blocked as Rainworth felt obliged to go for a winner however Mark Ward showed a striker’s instinct in the 85th minute with a good shot on the turn, but in the 88th minute Richard Adams conceded a penalty kick and Turner had the last laugh by converting the spot kick.

The Nailers tried to force a very late equalizer, however they should have conceded a third themselves when Callum Lloyd missed an excellent chance from the edge of the box.

In the end it proved to be Jordan Turner’s night after returning to Christchurch Meadow to win the game for Rainworth, and the Nailers were left to rue their own shortcomings that led to this disappointing defeat.

Belper Town: Ratcliffe, Pride (Rushbury 92), Wright, Marrison, Roulston, Colley, Stirrup, Warne, Stephens (Ward 79), Tuton, Deakin (Adams 54). Unused subs: Froggatt, Chapman

Rainworth Miners Welfare: McCormack, Walker, Hanson, Camm, Cooksey, Burton, Lloyd, Craven, Turner (Claxton 93), Holmes, Anderson. Unused subs: Lowe, Iliffe.

Referee: Alan Hall

Att. 114