It was Beth Wharton, who scored four against the Nailers in the Cup fixture earlier in the season that would go on to bag another hat trick and extend her lead at the top of the goalscoring charts to 19 in just 13 matches.

Belper on the other hand were once again missing their leading goalscorer Alice Faulding.

Wharton was however to be thwarted from her first chance of the match, presented following a misplaced pass, which produced a good save from Lucie Selby in the 12th minute.

The next few opportunities went to Belper, starting on 14 minutes when great play between Hollie Thompson, Anna Macluskey and Mia Carnelley produced a shooting opportunity for the latter which went just over the bar.

Three minutes later Macluskey produced another good pass to find Carnelley, she showed a great touch but from 30 yards her shot once again just cleared the crossbar of goalkeeper Ellie Gribbin, making her league debut for the visitors.

In the 20th minute Alex Watson's ball found Carnelley who crossed but the ball just eluded Macluskey at the back post.

On 33 minutes Grimsby worked themselves an opportunity following nice close passing between Chloe Thorpe, Laura Flecknor and Beth Wharton but the final shot was an easy grab for Selby.

Within four minutes Selby was tested again, this time captain Dani Brighton trying her luck from range.

Five minutes before the break Macluskey saw her long range effort saved by Gribbin and seconds later Thompson fired in a shot which rocketed across goal and went just wide.

The visitors finished the half strongly, on 43 minutes Flecknor found Wharton but her left foot shot from ten yards was saved.

However Wharton wasn't to be denied further and two minutes into first half injury time she collected the ball from Saraiah Swallow's pass, ran across the edge of the 18 yard box and finished smartly into the corner.

Wharton produced the first danger of the second half with a shot but Selby was equal to it and then on 53 minutes a long range free kick from Olivia Kershaw had Selby back tracking to produce a great save before the offside flag went up in the next phase of play.

On the hour mark Belper had shouts for both a penalty and corner turned down following a long range free kick from Sarah Roberts.

Wharton had a shot from well outside the box well saved by Selby after 71 minutes but four minutes later Wharton put some daylight between the sides when after Belper couldn't head clear at the back post she was on hand to slot home the second goal.

Wharton sealed the points on 82 minutes when Brighton's shot was saved by Selby but the Grimsby number nine was on hand to finish from close range and complete her hat trick and the scoring for the afternoon.

For Belper, Lucie Selby collected the Player of the Match awarded by the opposition while Mia Carnelley picked up Manager's Player and the back four combined were selected by the Media Team.

Elsewhere in the division, Arnold saw their home match with Dronfield postponed while runaway league leaders Gainsborough Trinity were made to work hard for their 2-0 win at bottom of the table Buxton.

Chesterfield received a walkover in their Plate match and in the same competition Grimsby Borough were eliminated by Nottingham Trent University.

A brave display from the Nailers and manager Luke Jackson had this to say at full time:

"We were unlucky today, I thought in the first half we looked really solid and had chances to get a goal. Unfortunate to concede with the last kick in the first half.

"We dusted ourselves down and made a few tweaks and went again in the second half and thought we looked really good again.

"The performances are improving and I'm really happy with what I saw today. On to next week and we'll strive to improve and be better together".

With eight games remaining, Belper sit in 7th place, eight points clear of the relegation spot with three games in hand on Buxton who currently occupy it.

They return to the Raygar Stadium on three out of the four Sundays in February, the exception being the trip to Dronfield on the 16th.

The Reserves defeated Stanton Ilkeston 3-1 in the League Plate, with two goals from Jess Burke and one from Olivia Froggatt.

Belper Town: Selby, Longdon, Claxton, Cowen, Pickard (C), Thompson, Needham, Bennett, Watson, Carnelley, Macluskey.
Subs: Roberts, Amans, Jeffrey, Frostick, Powles.

Grimsby Town Academy: Gribbin, Wray, Brighton (C), Kershaw, Thorpe, Flecknor, Wharton, Dejonge, Jacklin, Gray, Swallow.
Subs: Green, Barker.

Referee: Lee Chappell