New manager Matt Chatfield and assistant Jack Surgay had to fit a few square pegs in to round holes with some players still missing or carrying injuries and it's to their credit as well as the players that the team were one penalty kick away from the next round despite falling two goals behind early on.

Belper's first opening came on three minutes when Mia Carnelley picked out Alice Faulding but the Nailers goal machine couldn't quite get away the shot that she wanted.

In the sixth minute, Antonia Such played in Codie Steward for Spalding but her shot from just outside the box was just wide.

The hosts continued to push forward and on nine minutes Nicola Kraiewskau found herself with a shooting opportunity at the back post but her effort looped up and landed on the roof of the net.

Spalding took the lead in the 12th minute. Alesha Rix found Jessica Perrin who ran on and finished calmly past Maggie Buxton in the Belper goal.

Belper went searching for an equaliser but Evie Jowett saw her effort from outside the box flash just wide.

Buxton did well to hold on to a shot from Rix on 17 minutes later but there was nothing she could do a minute later when Perrin collected the ball and smashed home an unstoppable shot to double Spalding's lead.

In the 21st minute, Carnelley saw her effort go wide just before Belper were forced in to a substitution with Gee Bestwick replacing the injured Jazz Buxton.

The Nailers got lucky on 34 minutes when the defence dwelled too long on the ball, allowing Katie Steward to intercept and force a great save out of Buxton. Shortly after, Abbey Young's shot from range went just over as the Belper goal led a charmed life.

The visitors got themselves back in the tie in the 38th minute. Hannah James, on debut, collected the ball and rifled it in to the top corner. She would impress all afternoon playing in different positions.

Katie Steward brought another good stop out of Buxton a few moments later and the final action of the first half saw Lauren Haslam shoot just wide for Belper.

Belper thought they were level three minutes after half-time when Shania Allison headed home from a corner but the linesman had his flag raised, suggesting a Belper player was in an offside position when stood in the goalkeeper's line of sight.

In the 56th minute, Haslam's ball to Jowett allowed her to shoot but it drifted wide.

The Nailers got the equaliser they deserved on 57 minutes. Jowett ran down the left before crossing to Faulding. She laid the ball in to the path of Hannah James who produced a nice low finish.

Belper were much the better side from that point onwards and had a few chances to win the match.

In the 62nd minute, Faulding passed to Hannah James who shot wide then five minutes later the favour was returned, with Faulding firing just over the bar.

Haslam's cross-shot on 71 minutes had Vickie Foster stretching but she managed to hold on to the ball.

Two minutes from time, a long ball from Carnelley found Faulding who chipped Foster but the ball was cleared in time then Faulding fed Jowett whose shot went over from just outside the box.

With the tie level at full-time, it entered a penalty shootout.

The first six penalties were all scored before both sides missed, sending it to sudden death. Belper had a chance to win it with their fifth penalty but when penalty number seven was missed, it was all over and Spalding progressed to the next round.

Spalding United: Foster, King (Willerton 82), Such, Young, Rix, C. Steward, K. Steward, Goodwin, Nieburg, Kraiewskau, Perrin.
Unused subs: Manning, Calderwood.

Belper Town: M. Buxton, Allison, Claxton (C), H. James, A. James, Needham (Pickard 78), J. Buxton (Bestwick 22), Carnelley, Haslam, Jowett, Faulding.
Unused subs: Kelly, Varnam.

Referee: Jon Clayton