Valley secured their second home win of the week, after goals from Ruben Wiggins-Thomas and David Kolodynski deservedly settled an open encounter in their favour.
As with the 4-1 victory over Heanor four days earlier, there were chances galore at a sodden Butlin Road, with both keepers in good form to keep the goal count down this time.
Town’s starting line-up was unchanged, although Stuart Hendrie, Sam Lockley and Harry Holloway all returned to the matchday squad on the Rugby bench.
The hosts once more took an early lead when Wiggins-Thomas finished off James Dance’s flashed effort towards goal after Josh Ruff’s corner had been flicked on at the near post.
Before this opening strike, Sam Beasley had already put in a powerful shot and shortly after it Sam Belcher volleyed wide, as a confident Rugby looked to avenge for the defeat in the reverse fixture in Leicestershire just three weeks previously.
Quorn responded well to the setback though, and Niall Cooper did well to stop Sean Williams’s powerful strike – with George Bowerman helping the follow-up over the bar.
The visitors then went even closer, when Cooper’s top drawer one handed reflex save kept out Bowerman’s header, before Ryan Seal missed the target for them from a good position.
Meanwhile, Hayden Whitcombe was also soon displaying his goalkeeping prowess in denying Wiggins-Thomas, after the striker had shown good strength in the box.
There was further frustration for Wiggins-Thomas when Whitcombe saved another of his efforts at close quarters after Kolodynski had laid off Conor Wright’s cross, whilst Kolodynski should have done better before the half-time whistle when through on goal – but he could only blaze over.
The first opportunity of the new period fell to the visitors, when a low strike by Javia Roberts flew just the wrong side of the post, and the chances continued to come thick and fast - with Whitcombe saving from Ruff as he attempted to finish off a well-worked Rugby move and Daniel Brennan blocking another goal-bound Wiggins-Thomas effort on the line.
With just a single goal margin in their favour, there were inevitably nervy moments at the other end for the Valley faithful, and Dance executed a fine block and clearance to another Roberts speculative delivery, with Bowerman also screwing one wide from a great position.
A rare slip on the skiddy surface by Cooper then almost gifted Quorn an equaliser, but fortunately Sean Castleton got back behind his keeper to intercept Bowerman’s strike.
Further opportunities went begging for the visitors – including a strong arm save by Cooper to Williams’s shot from the edge of the area, before Town finally regained the initiative around the hour mark.
Kolodynski and Ruff combined well to see the latter smash one off the crossbar, and then the roles were successfully reversed on 70 minutes when Ruff nodded down Hendrie’s cross to supply Kolodynski with the chance to make the game safe with a composed finish.
Kolodynski had the opportunity to extend the advantage further before the end, but he failed in his attempt to round Whitcombe when free of his marker, with Roberts having the final shot of the game when he blasted way over Cooper’s goal.
Valley
Line-up: N Cooper; Wright, Kelly (Hendrie), Dance, Castleton; Belcher (Holloway), Beasley; Ruff (Mills), Ashby, Kolodynski; Wiggins-Thomas. Subs not used: Rowley, Lockley. Booked: Beasley, Belcher.
Quorn line-up: Whitcombe, Mulonga, Roberts, Maslen-Jones, Brennan, Gorman, Dale, Seal, Bowerman, Williams, Darkin. Subs: Robinson, Howard, Payne, Evans, Brennan. |