Rugby Town fell to defeat in their first Butlin Road pre-season friendly against a Solihull Moors XI.

The first half of the game was a relatively quiet affair, with neither side producing an on-target strike to trouble the respective keepers - Neil Collett and Sheridan Martinez.

David Kolodynski dragged one wide of the frame for Valley, whilst Akwasi Asante twice put efforts over the bar, with the best chance of the period falling to Callum Gittings – who somehow poked the ball the wrong side of the post when he found himself in space in the box following a Solihull free-kick.

Kolodynski did test Martinez not long after the restart with a well-struck effort from the edge of the area, but as the half progressed, the visitors showed their pedigree with the experienced Darren Byfield going close to breaking the deadlock on a number of occasions – including heading one against the crossbar.

It was no surprise therefore when it was the ex-Aston Villa and Walsall man that opened the scoring with eleven minutes remaining after capitalising on a moment of hesitancy in the Town defence to squeeze home from a tight angle.

Shortly after, Gittings made amends for his earlier miss by beating substitute keeper Josh Hughes at the near post with his first time shot for Moors' second.

Valley Line-up: Collett (Hughes); Rosser, Kelly, Walker (Rowley), Ryan (Jackson); Glasscoe (Hamilton), Powell, Towers (Trialist), Parker (Brathwaite); Kolodynski (Holloway), Liversedge (Wint).