Town suffered a second Lincolnshire away defeat within three days, although they once more put in a battling performance and could have snatched at least a point for their endeavours.

All the game’s four goals came after the restart, with Jake Woolley levelling up the scoring on 72 minutes before the table topping hosts struck twice in the final minutes to maintain their excellent start to the league campaign.

There was another club debut for Valley, this time for new signing Elliot Palmer as part of a three man central defensive unit, with Jon Bukasa also making a first start of the season for caretaker manager Gary Moran’s side.

Whilst Valley keeper Louis Connor maintained his great form of late with a number of good first half saves, the home team looked far from a team that had won six and drawn two of their opening eight NPL outings.

Connor’s early reaction stop to Bradley Wells’ header into the ground was the first of his series, with Sam Downey’s shot from distance also denied by Town’s captain.

He then did exceptionally well to tip his counterpart Nathan Stainfield’s header onto the crossbar, with the Spalding rebound attempt somehow missing the by now-open target.

For Rugby, Palmer nodded on Woolley’s long throw, but United keeper Michael Duggan pushed the ball around the frame.

The first opening of the second period also fell to Rugby, when David Kolodynski raced onto a short back-pass to set-up a great one-on-one chance with Duggan, however the Lincoln stopper did well to force Kolodynski wide and ultimately was able to pull off a save with his legs.

At the other end, Palmer put in two great blocks to deny what looked like certain goals for the hosts, with Connor again reacting smartly to Jenk Acar’s fierce strike from the edge of the area.

However Acar did break the deadlock on 56 minutes by stabbing home a long throw from the home side, and the same player could soon have made it two with another rasping shot which was again beaten away by Connor.

Woolley’s equaliser came courtesy of a well-struck free-kick to the near post after Kolodynski had been fouled, and then Kolodynski had another great one-on-one opportunity after outpacing his marker, but once more Duggan was equal to his attempt to try and round him.

Just when it appeared that Valley could hang on for a much-needed point though, Wells popped up at the far post to head home a free-kick on 84 minutes.

Bukasa’s low shot in a crowded box was blocked late in the game as Rugby pushed forward in search of a second equaliser, and with their defence now stretched, Rees Longville-Daley raced through to grab a third goal for the hosts in stoppage time.

Valley Line-up: Connor; Moran (Walker), Stringfellow, Fishwick, Appleton, Palmer; Gomes, O'Callaghan, Bukasa; Woolley (Akobeto), Kolodynski. Subs not used: Bodycote, Bolton, Holloway. Booked: Stringfellow, Fishwick.

Spalding line-up: Duggan, Lemon, Walker, Cullingworth, Stainfield, Spafford, Acar, Whitehead, Wells, Downey, Wright. Subs: Lockie, Field, Longville-Daley, Vince.