The visitors enjoyed the better of things early on and in the third minute Connie Forman headed narrowly over from a corner.

It was Forman who went close again on 13 minutes when Belper couldn't clear, her half volley was saved by Maggie Buxton.

Newark took the lead in the 31st minute. Jess Hogg cut in from the left and got a shot away which Buxton got a hand to but couldn't keep out.

Belper's job got harder six minutes later when Lauren Haslam received her marching orders, picking up two yellow cards in quick succession.

And to compound their problems, Forman collected a deserved goal on 39 minutes, blasting home when a corner fell to her.

Shannon Worrall tried her luck on 40 minutes after a great turn past a defender but Georgia Porter was down early to save.

The final action of the first half saw Jess Parker fire a shot just over the bar.

Two half-time substitutions looked to have worked for Belper who went straight on the attack and within seconds an Evie Jowett cross just evaded the onrushing Ella Boden.

A minute later Jowett produced a nice turn and shot of her own which had the substitute goalkeeper scrambling to save.

The Nailers were back in the match on 51 minutes when Boden tried her luck from just inside the penalty area on the left. It sneaked under the goalkeeper to reduce the arrears.

Jowett nearly equalised in the 61st minute when she cut in from the left and produced a good save.

Newark then had a good spell which brought a third goal. Kate Waddel brought a great save out of Buxton on 65 minutes but wasn't to be denied when she headed home the resulting corner.

Buxton was called into action again within a minute, tipping Parker's long range effort away from danger.

A short back pass in the 69th minute nearly allowed Newark to seal the points but the shot from Hogg came back off the woodwork.

Hogg's through-ball to King 15 minutes from time had Buxton rushing out and she did a great job to produce a block.

The impressive Jowett produced an equally good bit of goalkeeping at the other end a couple of minutes later but Belper got within a goal of the visitors in the 79th minute. Boden produced a moment of magic, sending a free kick into the corner to set up a frantic final few minutes.

Belper had a let-off on 88 minutes with Parker's volley going straight into the hands of Buxton then in the first minute of injury time, Worrall's point blank effort was somehow saved.

Four minutes had been added on when Boden picked out Carnelley who shot just wide.

Just when time, and hope, was running out, Belper were awarded a penalty in the 97th minute following a shove. Boden stepped up to try and complete her hat trick but saw her spot kick go agonisingly wide of the post and the goal kick was the final action of the match.

Newark become the second team, after Arnold Eagles, to complete their fixtures for the season and after a strong finish they are in 5th position. The Nailers are 7th with three games remaining and will need to win them all to have a chance of finishing in the top half.

Belper Town: Buxton, Cowen (C), Claxton, Carnelley, Worrall, Bestwick (James 46), Haslam, White (Bestwick 79 (White 88)), Froggatt (Boden 46), Longdon (Jowett 85), Jowett (Froggatt 83).
Unused subs: Pickard, Varnam.

Newark Town: Porter, Clifford, Rainbow, Lawrence, Phillips, Owen-Jones, Wright, Wieelds, Forman, Hogg, Naismite.
Subs: Waddel, Parker, Holt, King.

Referee: Jordan Schofield