Belper today ended Alfreton's long run unbeaten with a good 2-1 win, Mark Ward netting a brace with a good turn and shot on 31 mins, and dispatching a penalty on 34 mins when Highfield blatantly handballed.

The second half kick off was delayed by 15 mins when the referee was injured, so one of the linesman had to step in and Steve Cooke, who had just come to watch the game ended up running the line!

Steve Johnson put Alfreton back in with a shout on 77 mins after Belper should have killed the game off, Ward guilty of being too greedy and McNamara hammering a shot against the bar from 20 yards out.

Lee Stratford was sent off for Belper for a second bookable offence for kicking out at Carl Bradshaw, fair enough sending off, yet Bradshaw stamped on Strats head and got a yellow card. Awful refereeing. Mark Ward threw his two penneth in and got sent for an early shower too. But the Nailers held on and won in what was a very satisfying performance, certainly a huge relief considering the future of the current side looked very bleak in midweek.

Nailers ratings Ingham 8, Smithurst 7, Stratford 7, Walshe 7, Kennedy 7, Jones 8, Hilton 7, Richards 8, McNamara 8, Ward 7, Strezwyski (can never spell his name right) 7. Subs, Poplar, Sam Carter, Hogan.

We were in the same boat last year, and those players who remained really lifted their game for the rest of the season. It's important now that they understand how appreciated they are!

Pity about Alfreton's record though - we were looking forward to stopping their unbeaten record ourselves (again)!!!

Stop counting, Joey? Not a bit of it, we start again from one, which is what we did after Glapwell beat us last season and after Leek and Kidsgrove (in the cup) did this. I have to say that some weeks ago our chairman said to me that he wondered how we would react to defeat when it finally came. Well, I've seen nothing from our people but an honest admission that you were well worth your win - no complaints, well done! Your lads wanted it more than ours, or so it seemed, which was worrying from our point of view for a local derby. As I keep on saying, we've won nothing yet, we're just about safe from relegation, and there's still a long way to go before anything is decided in this league. And the sooner our players remember that, the better. I'll tell you who will not have been surprised by our defeat - Guiseley. We were very poor up there a week ago, but got out of jail. Obviously, as leaders, we're there to be shot at, and your shots were sufficiently on target.

Alfreton's problem yesterday was that they seemed very slack from the off, in the opening 30 mins we had most of the play but seemed to run out of ideas in the final third until Wardy took his goal well. That and the penalty in quick succession and you never really got going, bar towards the end when Johnson scored and we had Stratford and Ward sent off, but it was hardly a siege.

I'm pretty sure you'll win the league though, we caught you on a rare off day, and us Nailers fans certainly know what it's like to catch you on form.. you'll be reet.

Best of luck for the rest of the season (bar the senior cup )