Belper open the campaign with win at St Neots
Belper Town returned from Cambridgeshire with a hugely important win against last season’s UCL Premier South champions to open the NPL Division One Midlands season in style.
The Saints came into their first game at step four on the back of a 7-1 FA Cup drubbing of Great Yarmouth Town, and a few doubts may have crept in to the Belper players’ minds before kick-off.
It all turned out well enough but for the first 60 minutes or so, the hosts made life as difficult as they could and the Nailers had to stand secure at the back as the Saints pushed them hard.
Belper started brightly enough with shots from Adu Gyamfi and Curtis Burrows blocked by defenders and Kevin Bastos warmed up for another impressive outing with a shot that was saved by Goff.
Bastos was in the right place to put Belper ahead on 14 minutes when he headed the ball into the net after Jordan Fankwe headed on.
The Saints responded well to this set back and pressed the Nailers for much of the remainder of the first half. The referee awarded the hosts a penalty kick after Louis Keenan was adjudged to have pulled a player down and St Neots levelled the scores with Rivers’ conversion.
After a slow start to the second period the Nailers improved and in the 54th minute Bastos nudged a long clearance straight to Goff who was relieved to hold the ball.
Great work from Bastos ended with a short cross aimed for Fankwe but a defender got in first before the Belper striker could shoot.
The Nailers regained the lead in the 65th minute when Keenan’s in swinging corner kick was met by the unseen Ben Rhodes and he made a firm connection and headed the Nailers back in front.
On 75 minutes Bastos had a fierce shot palmed away by Goff and then a lovely move started by Bastos and assisted by Fankwe led to Gyamfi’s shot being saved.
The Nailers were on top now and sensed victory over a team who had begun to run out of ideas, and in the 85th minute Bastos ran clear and was tripped by Goff in the penalty area and a stone wall penalty was given by the referee.
Bastos stepped up and made no mistake and the Nailers were home and dry.
The Saints raised their game during a lengthy spell of added time, but the Nailers beat off all comers and celebrated a deserved opening day victory.
Belper Town: Preston, Rhodes, Keenan, Austin (Tague 88), Broadhead, Evans, Bastos, Wafula (Edwards 90), Fankwe, Burrows, Adu Gyamfi (August 81). Unused subs: Tsolakis, Zerboni
Referee: Aimee Kier
Att: 308