It was another disappointing midweek awayday for Town, following a goal in each half by Northwood’s Dave Lawrence.

It was another disappointing midweek awayday for Town, following a goal in each half by Northwood’s Dave Lawrence.

Valley’s record at Chestnut Avenue over the years has been poor – with just one victory in seven games there against the Woods, and after a reasonably encouraging first period where they threatened on a number of occasions, Rugby lacked any real cohesion after the break and subsequently the game gradually petered out – especially once Lawrence had struck for a second time.

The home side took an early lead after just six minutes when Lawrence finished off a cut back from the right, but Town responded well with Seb Lake-Gaskin seeing his low shot from twenty yards tipped round the post by keeper Berkley Laurencin.

Sam Youngs – restored to the starting line-up in place of the unavailable Richard Blythe – then smashed one against the bar after a good play down the wing between Lewis McBride and Will Grocott, with the rebound falling to David Kolodynski - who was upended for a penalty.

Unfortunately Lake-Gaskin squandered the opportunity to restore parity by ballooning the spot-kick high over the frame.

Chances to do so continued to come Valley’s way though, with Lake-Gaskin just over-hitting a cross to the unmarked Kolodynski, Laurencin saving well from both Youngs and Kolodynski, and Lake-Gaskin also heading straight at the keeper after Alex Gudger had headed down a Nathan Fox corner.

At the other end, Northwood also went close to extending their advantage, with Nana Asamoah somehow not converting a cross after a poor kick-out by Joe Mellings, and then the hosts twice struck Town’s bar from a well-rehearsed set-play towards the end of the half.

There was still time for one further chance for Rugby ahead of the interval, when Lake-Gaskin rounded Laurencin only to see the ball bobble away from him – with Youngs unable to force it home in the follow-up play.

After such an open first 45 minutes, hopes were high for an equally as entertaining second, but alas the game tightened up significantly – with the visitors not enjoying the same freedom in behind the Northwood defence.

Ahead of Lawrence’s second goal, Lake-Gaskin had shot wide at the near post and Asamoah tested Mellings with a powerful effort, but when Craig Kelly and James Jepson lost the ball between them in the middle of the park, Lawrence pounced and cut in before firing a dipping strike past Mellings from the edge of the area.

Northwood were resolute in defence thereafter, although Lake-Gaskin did have a goalbound shot blocked after his strike partner Kolodynski had nodded the ball back to him.

Valley Line-up: Mellings; Grocott, Kelly, Gudger, Rowley; McBride, Fox, Jepson, Youngs; Lake-Gaskin, Kolodynski. Subs not used: K Bishop. Booked: Gudger, Jepson.

Northwood line-up: Laurencin, Duncan, Lomas, Turner, Burgess, Lawal, Ehui, Nicholas, Asamoah, Lawrence, Byfield. Subs: Yorke, Walsh, Dicker, Molloy, Vassell.