Rugby bounced straight back into winning form on Tuesday evening with a straightforward victory at the Pro-Edge Stadium.

The maximum return was never really in doubt once Richard Gregory had confidently dispatched his spot-kick in the thirteenth minute – the award of which had seen Saints’ defender Luke Smith sent off for deliberate handball.

Valley boss Dave Stringer made three changes to his starting line-up from the disappointing defeat against Potters Bar three days previously, with Alex Austin in for the injured Alex Gudger, and Ben George and Lewis Rankin also given berths from the off.

The changes meant a more attacking role for Will Grocott, and he was soon in the game, lifting over from eighteen yards after a neat one-two with Gregory.

The visitors continued to push back the St. Ives defence, and after Robbie Burns’ persistence had won him the ball, another Grocott strike was handled on the line by Smith – with Gregory then stepping up to powerfully bury the resulting penalty into the back of the net.

Rugby were soon two up, with Burns again involved in the build-up feeding the unmarked Sam Youngs on the edge of the area, and the midfielder went on to send his low shot under the body of keeper Tim Trebes.

Grocott and Youngs had further opportunities for Town, but their efforts were both just shy of the target, before Gregory saw his shot saved by the legs of Trebes, after a fantastic turn and cut-back from Rankin.

The now short-handed home side struggled to make much of an impression on the Rugby back-line in the first period, although Ben Seymour-Shove and James Hall did both test Richard Morris with their half chances.

Valley eased their way through the second half, especially after putting the game out of their opponents reach seven minutes into it, when Youngs showed good feet to cut the ball back and strike it low past Trebes into the corner for his second and his side’s third.

To their credit the hosts refused to roll over – battling hard for the remainder of the match, and they nearly grabbed a consolation when Jordan Lambert’s effort from a corner came back off the crossbar.

In the closing exchanges, Town substitute Mitchell Piggon fluffed a good chance when through on goal, and Justin Marsden also went close late-on from the edge of the area.

Valley Line-up: Morris; George, Kelly, Rowley, Austin; Blythe, Burns; Rankin (Marsden), Grocott (Piggon), Youngs; Gregory (Lake-Gaskin). Subs not used: None. Booked: None.

St. Ives Line-up: Trebes, Smith, Lambert, De’Ath, Jonny Hall, Knight, Peters, Sinclair, Higgs, James Hall, Seymour-Shove. Subs: Banister, Mead, Eason.