Belper finally savour the winning feeling

Manager Peter Duffield brought in long serving Andy Rushbury for his first start since the beginning of September in place of Ryan Mallon who wasn’t named in the squad.

Mark Ward was selected ahead of Andrew Siribour who dropped to the bench, and Jared Stephens, signed from Sheffield FC this week, began his Belper Town career as a substitute.

Lincoln United, who had been propping up the league table for most of the season had enjoyed back-to-back victories in the previous week and had leapfrogged the Nailers in the process.

After early possession by Lincoln the Nailers put pressure on the visitors and came close on a couple of occasions following good crosses from both flanks.

However in the 8th minute Chris Funnell ran 30 yards before hitting a tame shot at David Ratcliffe who saved comfortably.

A lazy header from Michael Simpkins ended with David Coyde firing well wide from just inside the penalty area, and then the Nailers were exposed again when Scott Coupland turned and thumped a hard shot into the side netting.

Andy Rushbury ought to have done better with a close-range header but he didn’t make a clear connection and the ball drifted past the far post.

Simon Harrison the worked his way into a shooting opportunity but put his effort wide of the near post, then in the 22nd minute Shaun Tuton showed clever footwork on the edge of the area but his shot didn’t have the pace to trouble Phil McGann.

Shaun Tuton struck a great shot against the crossbar from 22 yards as the Nailers stepped up the pace, then Mark Ward deflected Shaun Tuton’s cross against the same upright seconds later.

The assistant referee’s flag came to Belper’s rescue when Chris Funnell ran through to lob David Ratcliffe, but this attempt was very much against the flow of the game.

The Nailers won a free kick a yard outside the penalty area but Mark Ward lifted the ball disappointingly over the cross bar.

Simon Harrison tried to catch the ‘keeper out with a hook shot over his shoulder but the ball went wide and although the Nailers had worked hard enough, the first goal was proving elusive.

Lincoln nearly opened the scoring early in the second period when Scott Coupland hit a shot from 15 yards that David Ratcliffe did well to parry.

The visitors looked the stronger of the two teams in the first 15 minutes of the half and the Nailers were trying hard to stamp their authority on the game.

Belper won a penalty in the 59th minute when Shaun Tuton was tripped by David Coyde as his pace took him into the penalty area, however Colin Marrison needed two attempts at converting the spot kick because, after his initial effort was saved he managed to get the ball over the line from the rebound.

Five minutes later, Belper were able to relax a little when Mark Ward kept a cool head after running on to a pass over the top from defence and he coolly took the ball around Phil McGann and finished with ease.

Shaun Tuton’s energy earned him an opportunity from a tight angle in the 70th minute but he fired wide of the far post, and the former Matlock player was proving to be quite a handful for the Lincoln defenders.

David Ratcliffe prevented Lincoln from reducing the arrears when he came out bravely to block Terry Fleming’s angled drive on 76 minutes.

The visitors were down to 10 men in the 85th minute when Joe Butler, who had only been on the field for 5 minutes, received a straight red card for an overzealous challenge on Aaron Pride.

Simon Harrison confirmed Belper’s first league victory of the season when he lifted a close range shot high into the net in the final minute of normal time and in doing so they moved off the bottom of the league table.

Belper Town: Ratcliffe, Pride, Wright, Marrison, Adams, Simpkins, Harrison, Warne, Ward (Stephens 74), Tuton (Siribour 84) , Rushbury. Other Subs: Stirrup, Ozmen, Chapman

Lincoln United: McGann, Fleming, Coyde (Butler 80), Bull, McDaid, Wright, Hone, Zuerner, Hempenstall, Funnell (Garrick 81), Coupland. Other Subs: Cowan, Sharpe

Referee: Les Sinclair (Newcastle under Lyme)

Att: 106

Match Sponsors: Belper Town Juniors

Man of the Match: Simon Harrison