A threadbare Rugby put in a disappointing performance in defeat to their promotion rivals at Haywood Way, with a goal in each half from the Moles’ Brad Wadkins doing the damage.

With both Alex Austin and Ben George out through injury, Robbie Banks filled in at full-back, although Mitchell Piggon did return after a month out with a pulled hamstring to partner Justin Marsden in attack.

Aylesbury had the first effort on goal after just six minutes when the impressive Lynton Goss put his powerful shot just wide, and with the next threatening attack it was the home side who again went close with Goss once more on the end of things with a towering header after an initial goalmouth scramble.

Immediately after this, with what turned out to be Valley’s best chance of the whole game, Piggon struck the post from ten yards after breaking free from his marker – with Marsden’s follow-up effort then deflected over for a corner.

However the hosts went ahead in the 29th minute when Wadkins met a superb cross from Brian Haule to bullet home a shot from close range.

Aylesbury were clearly on top by now, and they nearly extended their lead on 36 minutes when Jeanmal Prosper hit the bar from an accurate corner.

A minute later though, Town were handed a lifeline when they awarded a penalty after Marsden was adjudged to have been fouled the home keeper James Weatherill.

However Sam Youngs summed up Valley’s luck at the moment, when Weatherill went the right way and saved his subsequent low spot-kick.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first with Aylesbury very much on top, and the visitors struggling to come to terms with the poor playing surface.

The Moles extended their lead on 67 minutes, when Wadkins grabbed his second by meeting a deep cross from Goss which had evaded the Rugby defence.

Town failed to muster a single shot on target in the second period, and a result the third place opponents comfortably saw out the game.

Valley line-up: Morris; Banks, Kelly, Rowley, Gudger (Pritchard); Blythe, Grocott, Youngs, Burns; Piggon (Lake-Gaskin, Marsden. Subs not used: Smith, McEnroe. Booked: Banks.

Aylesbury line-up: Weatherill, Prosper, Murphy, Bateman, Anthony, Stevens, L.Goss, Haule, Wadkins, A.Goss. Subs: Dixon, Baker, Logie, Price, Rudd.