A precision strike from Rangers’ James Dance just after the interval settled the Trophy tie, as Rugby’s poor run in the competition continued at Butlin Road last Saturday.

Rugby boss Dave Stringer preferred to deploy Ben George at right-back, with Kyle Bishop also given a start in midfield and Sam Youngs left on the bench.

The game started quietly, although Valley showed signs of early promise with some neat passing football – albeit without creating much to threaten the Stafford back-line.

The first chance of the match came on fifteen minutes, when Craig Kelly slipped in his wing partner Bishop down the left, and the resulting cross was met first time by Justin Marsden – prompting visiting keeper Adam Whitehouse to make an excellent reaction save.

The even nature of the half continued, although it was again Town that came closest to breaking the deadlock, when Whitehouse was once more in alert mode to stop Will Grocott squeezing one past him at his near post.

Rangers made more of an impact on the game as it approached the half-time break, with Samuel Griffiths, Dance, Christian Dacres and Ryan Edmunds all putting their efforts wide of the target.

The new period was just four minutes old when Dance fashioned the ultimately tie-clinching strike, after he was given far too much space and time on the edge of the Valley penalty area – before looking up and then picking a spot in the top corner of the net with his curling shot.

The goal visibly boosted the visitors, and Nick Bennion saved efforts from both Samuel Griffiths and Daniel Cope – the second of which saw him throw himself full-length to push it away for a corner.

Midway through the half, Marsden released David Kolodynski down the middle, but again Whitehouse was equal to the on-target attempt, and at the other end Alex Gudger executed a well-timed tackle to deny Edmunds – just as the midfielder was about to shoot from a dangerous position.

However Rugby never really looked like penetrating a well-organised Rangers’ defensive unit again, although there was nearly a dramatic ending when Youngs struck the post from distance with virtually the last kick of the game.

Valley line-up: Bennion; George, Kelly, Rowley, Gudger; Lake-Gaskin (Youngs), Bishop, Grocott (Austin), Blythe; Kolodynski, Marsden. Subs not used: Banks. Booked: None.

Stafford line-up: Whitehouse, Griffiths, Wood, Ballinger, Daniel, Dacres, Dance, Edmunds, Cope, Bottomer, Curtis. Subs: Reid, Wynter, Dell. Thompson, Amos.