Valley returned to winning ways after a much-improved second half performance saw them turnaround the game at Bell Close.

The hosts had gone into the interval with a deserved lead though, until three second half strikes from Sam Youngs, Robbie Burns and Richard Gregory ensured Rugby did the double over their lowly opponents.

Manager Dave Stringer made three changes from the side that had exited the League Cup in midweek with Ben George, Youngs and Gregory returning to the starting line-up.

The visitors made the brighter start, and Lewis McBride saw his shot saved - with Gregory then putting the rebound into the side netting. However Leighton took the lead with their first effort on goal in the 25th minute through the impressive Danny Watson.

The goal came after Rugby had lost possession in attacking position, with Watson finishing off a great through ball from Christian Lester at the second attempt – after Richard Morris had saved his initial shot.

The home side were cleared buoyed by this opening strike and could have easily increased their lead shortly after, but Morris saved Phil Draycott’s shot from the edge of the area.

Rugby were finding it difficult to play their normal passing game on the bobbly pitch, and Richard Blythe resorted to a long ball to find Burns in the danger area, who in turn picked out Gregory, but he was crowded out before he could get a shot off.

However Rugby seemed to adapt better to the pitch conditions in the second half, with the introduction of substitute Seb Lake-Gaskin nine minutes into the new period also giving them fresh impetus.

They were soon level on 56 minutes when Lake-Gaskin set-up Youngs, with the midfielder running on before unleashing a powerful volley past Leighton keeper Zaki Oualah from twenty yards.

Within two further minutes Rugby took the lead, when the industrious Burns reacted quickly to Oualah’s parry to another Youngs’ shot to coolly drill the ball home.

Valley were now clearly on top, with both George and Lake-Gaskin putting decent efforts over the bar, and therefore it came as no surprise that they sealed victory through Gregory.

Once more Lake-Gaskin was involved in the build-up to the goal, laying on a ball to Gregory who after briefly running into trouble with the keeper almost smothering his effort, then managed to slot in from a tight angle.

The home side posed no threat in the remaining minutes, as Rugby held on for a valuable three points.

Valley Line-up: Morris; Grocott, George, Rowley, Gudger; Blythe (Rankin), Burns; McBride (Koriya), Youngs, Marsden (Lake-Gaskin); Gregory. Subs not used: Banks, Piggon. Booked: Rowley.

Leighton line-up: Oualah, Lyon, Ridgway, Crook, Murphy, Taylor, Bunker, Lobjoit, Lester, Watson, Draycott. Subs: Farmer, Senla, Rajaram, Morgan, Goodman.