Poor defeat leaves Belper’s play-off hopes hanging by a thread

With Ben Rhodes and Kevin Bastos suspended Belper boss Lee Attenborough had to also contend with the absence of James Cadman, therefore his options were limited when it came to team selection.

Keiran Walker came in for Rhodes while Lewis Austin made a rare start in midfield. Surprisingly perhaps, Zak Goodson and Brodie Litchfield were left on the bench.

There was little indication that the hosts were playing their fourth game in seven days, as they looked energetic throughout, while the Nailers lacked conviction and confidence from the outset.

Hebburn with the Championship trophy firmly in their sights, and with a string of consecutive victories under their belt, were quick out of the blocks and put Belper under pressure.

It came as no surprise when the hosts took the lead in the 16th minute, although it was a stroke of bad luck for the Nailers as Mason Frizelle put the ball into his own goal after Matthew Elsdon’s header came back off the foot of the post.

Dean Briggs and Olly Martin saw shots go wide and saved by Dan Moore respectively, then the Nailers had a moment in the Hebburn penalty area which saw Frizelle volley the ball just over the top.

On 33 minutes Hebburn scored the second goal after Keiran Walker failed to clear and Briggs fired the ball in from 10 yards.

Moore made a good stop from Hebburn’s top goal scorer Arnar Purewal in the 36th minute, but the hosts scored their third goal a minute later when Briggs' shot from outside of the 18-yard area went in just inside the far post.

The Nailers had a better spell leading up to half time with Walker’s long throws forcing Hebburn into defensive mode, but there was little to suggest that Belper could fight their way back into the game.

The Nailers looked more organised in the second period, but it always seemed to be more of a containment exercise, than a basis to go forward in search of goals.

Lewis Austin had a half chance on 64 minutes but volleyed over the top, and a strong shout for a handball offence in the Hebburn penalty area looked valid enough but the referee wasn’t interested.

Moore saved well from a near post shot from Briggs on 79 minutes, then Austin put an effort wide for the Nailers two minutes later.

Mason Frizelle was on target with a header derived from another Walker launch, but the underworked ‘keeper Kieran Hunter saved comfortably.

Moore was in the right place to make another important save in the 90th minute, and just as Belper looked like keeping a second half clean sheet, the Belper ‘keeper fumbled a low drive from Martin to give the hosts a comfortable victory.