Goals from strike duo David Kolodynski and Ruben Wiggins-Thomas secured a narrow victory on a sticky pitch at Long Eaton.

It was far from a classic encounter on the bobbly, greasy Grange Park surface, but Valley created the better of the chances on the day and therefore deserved to return home with the full points haul.

Sam Lockley replaced Josh Ruff in the only change to Rugby’s starting line-up from their last outing two weeks previously, and the visitors started brightly with a couple of early efforts by Stuart Hendrie easily taken by Eaton keeper Scott Low.

The game’s first stand-out opportunity fell to the hosts though, when Shaun Rickford was played clean through, but the striker blazed well over with two team mates in close support.

Town keeper Niall Cooper then pulled off a good save to deny Rickford a further chance, whilst at the other end Lockley scooped one over the bar after he had also found himself through on goal.

Wiggins-Thomas was another to find himself guilty of failing to make the most of a one on one situation, when he was unable to round Low, and the openings continued to come with Lockley dragging one wide shortly after.

Zak Goodson and Sam Belcher traded chances ahead of the interval, with both men sending their efforts from just inside the box off-target.

Belcher’s low effort from a little further out had Low scrambling just after the interval, before Kolodynski gave his side the lead on 51 minutes when he helped home a loose ball after Lockley’s initial effort had been saved by Low.

Low then pulled off a great stop at point blank range to deny Jeff Woodward, with the home side capitalising on this with an equaliser – which came after substitute Andy Todd pounced on a loose clearance to shoot home from the edge of the penalty area.

Valley were soon back in front though, when Wiggins-Thomas bundled the ball in after Sean Castleton had flicked-on Kolodynski’s corner to the near post.

This time Rugby held onto their advantage in relatively comfortable fashion, and Wiggins-Thomas nearly added to it with a low shot which Low did well to keep out.

Lockley just could not force home another rebound chance after Low had again parried away a Wiggins-Thomas strike, and Hendrie also missed a couple of great opportunities of his first goal in a Town shirt.

For Long Eaton, Cooper’s impressive save from Goodson was the closest they came in the final twenty minutes or so, with Jack Duffy also heading one over in the closing stages.

Valley Line-up: Cooper; Woodward, Kelly, Dance, Castleton; Belcher (McGahey), Beasley; Lockley, Hendrie, Kolodynski (Ashby); Wiggins-Thomas. Subs not used: Holloway, Wright, Print. Booked: None.

Long Eaton line-up: Low, Thornton, Scanlon, Gamblen, Keane, Wheatley, Reid, F.Smith, Rickford, Goodson, C.Smith.  Subs: Todd, Cameron, Head, Duffy, Haig.