An understrength Town were beaten on the road for the second time in three days, going down at Ashby Avenue to play-off bound Lincoln.

The pattern of defeat mirrored their weekend loss at Chasetown, with Mitch Piggon giving the visitors a first half lead only to see it wiped out by three opposition goals – although on this occasion the lead had been overturned ahead of the break.

There were first Valley starts for Josh Willis and Luke Delaney, with David Kolodynski also recalled to the starting line-up in the absences of Chris Tullin, Kurtis Revan and Kevin Thornton.

Kolodynski had an early half chance when he flashed in a powerful shot from the angle, drawing a neat save from United keeper Mario Ziccardi at the near post.

The Rugby striker was then presented with an even better opportunity from Rob Parker’s knock-down, but he ballooned this one over the frame from close range, although the hosts also missed a sitter of their own within this phase of the game when Matt Cotton somehow missed the target with his diving header from the centre of the goal.

Ziccardi saved from Callum Powell, before Town opened the scoring on seventeen minutes when the Lincoln keeper could only parry Kolodynski’s low effort into the path of Piggon – who followed up to finish with ease.

After a concerted spell of pressure, the home side got themselves back on level terms just past the half hour mark though, when Sam Andrew dropped a ball into the box to allow Jake Gibson to poke home from the resulting goalmouth scramble – with the Rugby players claiming Andrew had been fouled by Lincoln striker Gary King.

United were soon ahead when Matt Curley’s clearance was charged down and King’s subsequent cross from the left was headed in this time by the unmarked Cotton.

Late in the half, Kolodynski pounced on a defensive mix-up but sent his shot on the turn high and wide, but Valley hardly threatened again after the restart in what turned out to be a poor second period overall spectacle.

Lincoln did increase their lead further on 62 minutes when Willis was penalised for a foul on Cotton in the box, to give Danny Brooks to opportunity to lift the spot-kick home.

After this, Gibson and King both sent efforts wide of the target, with Rugby skipper Steve Towers’ powerful free-kick into the Lincoln wall representing a rare moment of danger at the other end ahead of the final whistle.

Valley Line-up: Andrew; Curley, James, Willis, Ryan; Delaney, Parker, Towers; Powell (Healy), Kolodynski, Piggon. Subs not used: Wilkins, Thornton, D Belford. Booked: Willis.