Valley fell to yet another defeat after putting in a poor performance at the Marstons Stadium.

The visitors had managed to keep Belper out until the 58th minute, but once Kyle Rowley inadvertently headed one into his own net, there was little doubt that a 22nd league reverse of the season was on the cards.

Town boss Gary Moran made one change from the previous weekend’s home loss to Stocksbridge, preferring Mitchell Thomson in a wide role to Aiden Print.

The hosts started the game well though and Evan Garnett threatened the Rugby goal with a shot on the turn after just three minutes, which Louis Connor turned around the post.

From the resulting corner Phil Watt headed just wide of the post, with Ruben Wiggins-Thomas doing likewise shortly afterwards as the Nailers continued to dominate proceedings.

Alex Steadman and Garnett missed further good chances for the home side in the opening period, whilst Rugby’s best effort saw a Thomson strike from distance flash the wrong side of the target.

David Kolodynski also just failed to make contact with a looping Scott Hadland cross in what was generally a toothless first half for Valley.

There was little change to the pattern of the game after the restart, and Connor was soon dashing off his line to deny Garnett once more, with Hadland also doing well to block out the striker from the same phase of play.

It was therefore no surprise when Rowley’s own goal broke the deadlock just ahead of the hour mark, after he flicked Jonathan Williams’ cross past his own keeper.

The visitors did then have one ruled out themselves, after Kolodynski had helped home Chris Sterling’s ball across the face of the goal – with either the Town striker or Hadland adjudged to have been in an offside position.

However once Williams had doubled Belper’s lead with a curling free-kick which evaded the dive of Connor at his right hand post, there was little prospect of a Valley comeback.

Kyle Rowley did have an on-target header cleared from a crowded goalmouth though, before the hosts scored again when Connor made a hash of an undulating cross from the left by Williams, with the keeper only succeeding in palming the ball in.

Late efforts by Levi Rowley and Kolodynski went wide and were saved by Scott Low respectively, with Connor in part redeeming himself when he was again off his line sharply to save with his legs from Garnett, as the home side broke swiftly on the counter attack.

Valley Line-up: Connor; Moran (Print), Brathwaite, M Rowley, K Rowley; Thomson (Moses-Garvey), Sterling, Hadland, Brooks (Shakespeare); L Rowley, Kolodynski. Subs not used: Quinn, Fura. Booked: Thomson, K Rowley, M Rowley.

Belper line-up: Low, Thornton, Guy, Graves, Palmer, Watt, E.Garnett, Armstrong, Wiggins-Thomas, Williams, Steadman. Subs: D.Garnett, M.Richards, J.Richards, Goddard, Butcher .