Town’s cup exploits for the year came to an end at Butlin Road on Tuesday evening, after a fairly low key affair was settled by two first half goals from Ilkeston’s Curtis Burrows.

Burrows’ double strike gave the Derbyshire club some revenge for Valley’s FA Cup success over them earlier in the season, although it was Ilkeston's Evandro Rachoni who was overall the busier of the two keepers on the night.

Rachoni was into the action early on gathering a well-struck low effort by Callum Powell, and Kevin Thornton’s quick feet in the penalty area then created a decent opening, but he chose to lay the ball off when arguably taking a shot himself would have been a better option.

It was therefore against the general run of the play that Ilkeston took the lead when Jack Blake’s ball into the box was met by the unchallenged Burrows - who helped home from close range.

Powell continued to worry the visitors’ back-line, setting up another long range strike for himself – which again Rachoni held on to, and then screwing one agonisingly wide of the target from just inside the box.

It was two-nil just before half-time though, when a high ball into the box by Charlie Coulson was dropped by debuting Valley keeper Courtney Belford, with Burrows gratefully tapping in for his second.

Town started the second period brightly and a snap shot by Aaron Opoku was tipped over by Rachoni.

The Brazilian keeper also did well to keep out a Steve Towers' header which came through a crowded box, and Jake Healy put in two off-target strikes as Valley pushed hard to get themselves back into the game.

Later in the half, Ilkeston’s Dexter Atkinson did use his pace to good effect to twice threaten Belford’s goal – first clipping wide and then sending one across the face of the goal.

The goal frame and Rachoni combined to deny Rugby a late consolation when Healy smashed one against it after another good run by Powell, with Opoku unable to head the rebound past the keeper.

Valley Line-up: Belford; Parker, Warburton, Ryan, Walker; Wilkins (Bolton), Towers; Powell, Healy, Thornton (Whiteside); Sarmento (Opoku). Subs not used: Bodycote. Booked: Ryan.

Ilkeston line-up: Rachoni, Print, Luto, Burgess, Baker, Wheatley, Gordon, Blake, Ndlovu, Coulson, Burrows. Subs: Dolan, Walker, Atkinson, Goddard, Hannis.