Two David Kolodynski goals within as many minutes gave Valley the points at Butlin Road against high flying Potters Bar.

Their Hertfordshire opponents had gone into the weekend fixtures in second place in the table, but with Valley showing glimpses of being back on their passing game once more and Kolodynski in clinical mode, they were good value for the win.

With captain Alex Gudger out suspended, Alex Austin filled in capably in a relatively unfamiliar role at centre-half, and recent signing Lewis Rankin formed part of a youthful Rugby bench.

The hosts edged the opening exchanges, with Kolodynski, Seb Lake-Gaskin and Justin Marsden all threatening down the channels.

An early Lake-Gaskin pull-back was just cleared by Potters’ Tom Boxer, Kolodynski also flashed one across the face of the box but Lake-Gaskin’s subsequent contact was wide, and Marsden did well to get in his cross from the right, but Will Grocott’s header lacked both power and direction.

The visitors had Austin to thank for their best effort of the half when the defender sliced Joe Bennett’s cross dangerously up into the air towards the goal, but Richard Morris was quick to spot the threat and just managed to tip it the ball over the frame.

Kolodynski then struck first on 28 minutes, running onto Grocott’s through ball to slide his finish under Danny McNicholas.

He made it two shortly after, when Lake-Gaskin burst down the right to square the ball into his path in front of goal – giving him a simple tap-in.

On the whole, Valley looked relatively comfortable for the remainder of the game, and in fact they could have extended their lead further in the second half.

Grocott struck the crossbar with an excellent strike shortly after the restart, McNicholas touched a dipping Kolodynski volley round the post and Craig Kelly also put in a well-struck volley which flew just over.

At the other end, the introduction of substitute Dipo Antnyemi did give Potters Bar some fresh impetus though, and on a brief lapse of concentration from the Valley defence, Josh Hutchinson lifted a good chance over the bar from an angled position.

Ben George’s cross then provided an unmarked Kolodynski with the opportunity of another Town hat-trick, but this time he could not oblige, and Grocott went close again with another long-range speculative effort.

Rankin almost marked his 86th minute debut with a late goal, but he lifted the ball wide of the target after good build-up play from Town, before the visitors nearly grabbed a late consolation when Chris Doyle flicked Matt Clifford’s cross the wrong side of the post.

Valley line-up: Morris; George, Kelly, Rowley, Austin; Blythe, Youngs, Grocott, Marsden; Kolodynski (Rankin), Lake-Gaskin (Bishop). Subs not used: Banks, Smith, Summers. Booked: Rankin, Austin.

Potters Bar line-up: McNicholas, Simpson, Clifford, Friend, Boxer, Bowditch, Bennett, Doyle, Hutchinson, Ewington, Shepherd. Subs: Antnyemi, Hatherley, Wooldridge.