It was an action packed start with the Magpies scoring with the first chance of the match. Samantha Munro broke down the right before cutting in and finishing smartly past Maggie Buxton.

Belper equalised straight from the kick-off. Evie Jowett squared the ball for Alice Faulding to open her account for the season.

On 14 minutes, Seren Abbott found herself with some space on the left but fired her shot straight at Buxton.

Three minutes later, Hannah James saw her effort from range saved by Summer Ratcliffe in the Notts County goal.

On the half-hour mark, a close range header from Ellie Crook cleared the crossbar then back at the other end Hannah James played in Jowett but her shot went across the face of goal and narrowly wide.

In the 38th minute, Abbott beat Belper's offside trap but again Buxton was equal to the shot then the Nailers broke quickly and Hannah James brought a save out of Ratcliffe.

The final action of the first half saw Holly Bytheway feed Abbott but Buxton made a comfortable save.

The second half was short on action, with the 61st minute seeing Faulding pick out Lauren Haslam whose effort from 22 yards was saved.

The decisive moment arrived with a quarter of an hour remaining. Hannah James was fouled in the box and Faulding made no mistake from the penalty spot.

Three minutes from time, a Notts County free-kick reached Evie Bush who probably should have scored but her shot went over the bar.

Belper hung on for three points which send them top of the fledgling EMWRFL North table.

Belper Town: Buxton, Sheard (A. James 49), Allison, Worrall (Bestwick 46), H. James (C) (Pickard 90+3), Jowett (Faulding 90+4), Faulding (Froggatt 88), Haslam (Carnelley 90+7), Carnelley (Wakefield 75), Claxton, Wilkins.

Notts County Development: Ratcliffe, Craig, Aris, Fletcher, Bytheway, Morland, Straw, Bush, Abbott, Munro, Johnson.
Subs: Brooks, Sullivan, Graney, Crook

Referee: Paul Massey