Valley were left without a win in eight league outings after a Reuben Wiggin-Thomas penalty condemned them to yet another home defeat.

There was little to choose between the two sides at Butlin Road last Saturday, but once more Gary Moran’s side lacked a cutting edge and Belper punished them for this after the hosts conceded a soft penalty ten minutes into the second half.

Moran picked himself at full-back in four changes from the previous game, with first starts for player/coach Scott Hadland and Kyle Rowley, as well as a return from a hamstring niggle for David Kolodynski.

It was the visitors that made the better start though, with Wiggins-Thomas hitting the upright in the first minute and then the same player put a further chance over the bar after a goalmouth scramble.

Alex Steadman was denied by Louis Connor, with the Rugby keeper quick to advance off his line after the Belper winger had got in behind the home defence, and Ben Watkis also headed a Steadman cross over the bar.

For the home side, Aaron Moses-Garvey’s wild off-target strike was a rare early opportunity, before Belper keeper Danny Haystead was finally called into action when Emmitt Delfouneso headed one into his arms from Moses-Garvey’s free-kick.

Rugby’s best chance of the first half came towards its conclusion when Kolodynski found himself in a decent position, but his finish lacked power and failed to trouble Haystead.

The game’s decisive moment came on 55 minutes when both Connor and Anthony Charles appeared to make some contact on Wiggins-Thomas in the box, and from the awarded penalty Wiggins=Thomas’s slow run-up sent Connor the wrong way.

However the double introduction of Jake Woolley and Lewis Rankin gave the hosts some impetus and led to their best spell of the match.

Aaron Stringfellow pulled one just wide after neat interchange play with Delfouneso, with Woolley then having a shot blocked before Rankin stroked the rebound ball agonisingly wide.

At the other end, the Nailers began to threaten on the break though, and Connor was again smartly out to block out Steadman after a rare slip up by the generally impressive Rowley.

Valley continued to probe for an equaliser, with Charles just unable to make contact with another Moses-Garvey set-piece and then Haystead pulled off a fine save to tip over Rankin’s rising strike.

Kolodynski also tested Haystead with his hooked effort on the turn, but alas it was to be another blank return in front of goal for Town.

Valley Line-up: Connor; Moran, Stringfellow, Rowley, Charles, Hadland (Woolley), Delfouneso, Halsall; Moses-Garvey (Wilson), Mbunga (Rankin), Kolodynski. Subs not used: Punter, Bukasa. Booked: Charles, Rankin.

Belper line-up: Haystead, Dennis, Armstrong, Graves, Guy, Watt, Watkis, Hollis, Wiggins-Thomas, Williams, Steadman. Subs: Birks, Constable, G.Palmer, J.Palmer, King.