Valley’s three match unbeaten run came to an end after the early kick-off was settled by an own goal by Town left-back Sam Warburton.

Warburton’s 76th minute mishap was harsh justice on a Rugby side that had outperformed returning ex-boss Dave Stringer’s new charges for significant periods of the game.

Town's starting line-up was unchanged from the previous weekend's home victory over Leek, but they did start sluggishly and keeper Liam Roberts was soon turning Stanley Mugisha’s effort around the post.

Mugisha was then involved in the game's opening goal on nine minutes when he released another Valley old boy Michael Williams down the right flank.

Williams' subsequent run saw him cut in before squeezing his shot through the legs of Roberts.

This early setback sparked the hosts into life though and David Kolodynski had a header pushed over the bar by John Bateman, before Mason Rowley levelled things up by heading home Kevin Thornton's corner for his first league goal of the season.

With Thornton looking lively, Valley pushed on for a second, and the ex-Coventry City man almost squeezed one past the keeper shortly after Rowley's strike.

Thornton also put one way over the bar and had a further, better effort skid just past the post off the greasy surface, with Town’s best chance ahead of the interval seeing Jake Healy just tackled before he could shoot after Kolodynski had chosen to pass to him rather than fire one in himself.

The visitors’ threat was limited after Williams' early strike, with their only real other opportunity again coming from the full-back when he skipped past a couple of Rugby players before sending his cross/shot high across the face of the goal.

Rugby were ahead six minutes after the restart when Kolodynski and Thornton played a neat one-two on the edge of the box, culminating in Kolodynski’s cool finish under Bateman.

The lead was short-lived though when Ryan Winter scored a straightforward chance for the Scholars, after Rowley had failed to deal with a ball sticking in the heavy surface.

Bateman’s great one handed save to Callum Powell’s rising shot kept the scores level, and Danny Clifton also had a decent effort blocked, whilst at the other end Valley skipper Steve Towers did well to clear a dangerous cross away from the goalmouth.

Chasetown's winner came after a poor kick-out by Roberts landed at the feet of Paul Sullivan, with the substitute ultimate delivery taking a deflection off Warburton and past the hapless keeper.

The visitors played out the remainder of the game effectively, with Town failing to trouble Bateman again ahead of the final whistle.

Valley Line-up: Roberts; Parker, Warburton, Rowley, Towers; Wilkins (Woods), Clifton; Healy (Lake-Gaskin), Powell, Thornton (Peixoto); Kolodynski. Subs not used: Ryan, Opoku. Booked: None.

Chasetown line-up: Bateman, Williams, Edwards, Slater, Haynes, Brown, Mugisha, Davies, Winter, Dance, Washbourne. Subs: Gould, Turton, Robinson, Sullivan, Birt.