Rugby successfully navigated their first foray into the FA Vase for thirty three years with a comfortable win in picturesque surroundings in Worcestershire.

A brace apiece from Josh Ruff and Ruben Wiggins-Thomas helped brush aside their West Midlands Premier League opponents last Saturday to earn Valley a place in the next round of the competition.

There were two enforced changes from the previous midweek draw with Coventry Sphinx, with Aiden Print and Sam Belcher replacing the injured Rowley brothers, and Town showed their attacking intentions early on when Belcher’s low shot was comfortably saved by home keeper Joe Sidaway.

Valley were soon taking the lead though on fifteen minutes, after Sidaway had spilled David Kolodynski’s decent cross from the right – with Ruff on hand to slot home the rebound from close range.

The goal briefly sparked Bewdley into life, with Simon Rudd drawing a good save from Lewis Gwilliams, and then minutes later Matt Kerby’s rising effort struck the bar.

However the visitors extended their lead just ahead of the half hour mark after they were awarded a penalty when Rudd brought down Wiggins-Thomas in the area – allowing the same man to convert the spot-kick into the left corner of the net.

The hosts found the woodwork one more time ahead of the interval when Gwilliams tipped a Chris Seekings’ shot onto the post, although Rugby were largely on top and the second half continued in the same vein.

It was three on 65 minutes after interchange play between Kolodynski and Wiggins-Thomas ended with the latter rounding Sidaway before stroking home – despite the best efforts of covering defender Rich Costello to stop the ball crossing the line, with Costello injuring himself in the process.

With three substitutions already made, the home side were forced to play out the remainder of the game a man light, and Valley took advantage of this when Ruff added his second too with a superb curling free-kick from twenty five yards.

There was a slight blot on Town’s victory though, when they conceded a consolation in added-time, with Bewdley substitute Jason Wellings heading home from a few yards out.

Valley Line-up: Gwilliams; Print, Hall, Castleton, Thornton (Shakespeare); Belcher, Ashby, Ruff; Dance (Brathwaite), Wiggins-Thomas (Holloway), Kolodynski. Subs not used: Birch, K Rowley. Booked: Ashby.