Nailers return to winning ways at Yaxley

PHOTO | Jonno Margetts scoring from the penalty spot (Pic: James Richardson)

Alex Peterson and Jordan Todd were both nursing injuries while Josh Waldram was serving a one game suspension following his sending off at Stamford a week earlier.

Josh Woodcock was also unavailable.

This meant that manager Grant Black had to shuffle his pack and played club skipper Danny South in a striking role while loanee Jordan Haywood started at left back

A blustery wind and an artificial pitch were the likely reasons for a game lacking in entertainment and quality.

Yaxley had won their previous fixture against Histon which had boosted confidence and as expected, they handled the 3G surface better than the Nailers, which allowed them to have the greater share of possession particularly in the second half.

Belper started well and could have had a penalty kick when Jonathon Margetts was hauled down to the ground in the 12th minute, however the referee thought otherwise.

The Nailers capitalised on their early superiority on 18 minutes, when Craig Nelthorpe struck a fine shot from just outside the penalty area that dipped sufficiently to go in off the underside of the bar.

Brodie Litchfield came close to adding to the lead with a good run before shooting directly at the Yaxley ‘keeper 3 minutes later.

Within a minute the hosts were gifted an opportunity to draw level after Riece Bertram was adjudged to have tripped a Yaxley player just inside the box, and despite considerable protestations from the Nailers’ defender the referee pointed to the spot.

Ollie Battersby brilliantly stopped Daniel Cotton’s spot kick but couldn’t prevent the Yaxley striker scoring with his follow up shot.

More drama followed on 23 minutes when Margetts was clearly brought down just outside the six yard area and Belper’s top marksman duly converted from the spot.

Yaxley then had an effort disallowed for offside and Margetts closed the first half with a half volley that was saved by Joshua Carpenter.

Despite playing with the wind at their backs after the break, the Nailers found the going tough and never really looked like extending their lead.

Nelthorpe tried a volley from an acute angle in the 48th minute which went wide, and the referee waived away a claim for handball in the hosts’ penalty area on 72 minutes.

Belper had to defend more than they would have liked as Yaxley looked the better team on the ball but a solid rearguard which now included Danny South stood firm.

Once Joshua Hales had been red carded in the 81st minute for a second yellow the hosts’ challenge dwindled, and the Nailers effectively managed the remaining time to claim a valuable 3 points.

Yaxley: Carpenter, Duncliffe, Rowell, Peters, Watson (Baughan 85), Gothard, Sparrow, Hook, Hales (Nicholson-Barfoot 69), Cotton, Tinkler. Unused subs: Horne, Chambers.

Belper Town: Battersby, Rhodes, Haywood, Litchfield, Bertram (Brown 69), Wilson, Curtis, Mancinelli, South, Margetts, Nelthorpe (Beejer 77). Unused subs: Kozluk.

Referee: Thomas Hales

Attendance: 96