Rugby Town progressed through to the next stage of the league cup competition with a deserved victory on the Oval’s recently-installed artificial surface.

A great strike from Will Grocott four minutes from the end of normal time rounded off the scoring, after David Kolodynski had taken his season tally to fifteen with a first half double – before United’s Alex Naughton reduced the arrears midway through the second period.

The game started at a frantic pace, with Bedworth’s Aaron Bains heading over from point blank range early on. However once things had settled down, Rugby seized the initiative and with Kolodynski, Lewis McBride and Justin Marsden all causing the hosts’ back-line problems, it was only a matter of time before they made their superiority count.

McBride had seen his low shot tipped round the post by keeper Denham Hinds, before Kolodynski’s first came on 26 minutes with a good lobbed finish to Grocott’s well-flighted free-kick into the box.

It was two when Kolodynski tapped in after a free flowing move which included contributions from McBride, Kyle Bishop and Marsden – with the latter’s looping cross deflected up before falling invitingly for Town’s ace marksman.

Kolodynski almost grabbed a first half treble, when his lofted effort following a corner was headed off the line.

Rugby continued to carve out good goalscoring opportunities after the restart, with Bishop curling one off-target from just inside the box, McBride’s low strike was kept out by Hinds after he had streaked clear, and Marsden lifted a great chance wide of the post after an interchange with Kolodynski.

The home side then had their best spell of the game, with Naughton skewing a shot wide after he had worked himself some space, but United’s centre-forward made no mistake shortly after when he powered the ball past Nick Bennion after a goalmouth scramble.

Bedworth were reduced to ten men when substitute Peter Folkes was dismissed after a nasty-looking head collision with Bishop, and Town went on to take advantage of their numerical advantage to wrap things up on 86 minutes when Grocott showed good technique to powerfully volley McBride’s pull back past Hinds.

Valley Line-up: Bennion; George, Kelly, Rowley, Gudger; McBride, Bishop (Austin), Grocott, Blythe; Kolodynski, Marsden. Sub not used: Banks. Booked: McBride, Gudger.

Bedworth line-up: Hinds, Thomson, Bevas, Mewies, Walters, Cartwright, Rowe, Steane, Naughton, Dubidat, Bains. Subs: Donovan, Folkes, Harris, Creaney, Meakin-Richards.