Valley recorded their first away NPL win with a relatively straight-forward victory in Nottingham.

Rugby’s opening line-up showed four changes from the previous outing, with Raajan Gill, Roger Lee and Kevin Thornton all making first starts for the club and Rob Parker also recalled.

After a slow start, the visitors took control with Callum Powell shooting weakly at keeper Jack Steggles and David Kolodynski’s effort from a wide angle blocked by Steggles too.

Kolodynski then teed up Towers for a powerful strike which rebounded back to Jake Healy, whose subsequent strike from close range was kept out well by the busy Carlton keeper.

Valley’s deserved opener came on 37 minutes when Kolodynski helped home a low, bobbling Danny Clifton shot, and Sam Warburton almost doubled the advantage shortly after with an effort that drifted just wide of the post.

Rugby’s dominance continued up to the interval, with Healy drawing another fine save from Steggles, before he produced an even better one to deny Powell.

With the ex-Coventry City man Thornton now pulling the strings for Town, Healy and Clifton both shot straight at Steggles in the opening exchanges of the new half, before Thornton made it two by stroking home from the penalty spot, after Healy had been brought down in the area.

It was soon three and with it the game was safe, when Healy slid home Clifton’s neatly chipped ball to the far post.

However the hosts did throw numbers forward for the remaining fifteen minutes or so, and debutant Gill pulled off a good double save, before Carlton’s direct tactics finally bore fruit when Kieran Walker’s header just crossed the line.

Mason Rowley’s goalmouth clearance denied the home side a further consolation deep into stoppage time.

Valley Line-up: Gill; Lee, Warburton, Rowley, Towers; Healy, Clifton, Parker, Thornton; Kolodynski, Powell. Subs not used: Holloway, Whiteside, Thompson, Smith, Gray. Booked: None.

Carlton line-up: Steggles, Kenton-Bradshaw, Wholey, Walker, Asare, McConway, Nangle, Howell, Graham, Rae, Lusamba. Subs: Fletcher, Maveso, Gordon, J. Law, T. Law.