Valley were denied a first victory on the road in nearly eight weeks after conceding a last gasp equaliser at Walshes Meadow.

David Kolodynski had given Town a first half lead as part of a controlled first half performance by the visitors, but an improved Swifts’ showing after the restart culminated in their skipper Matt Fulloway heading home in the third minute of added time.

With a number of injuries and unavailabilities limiting Rugby boss Dave Stringer’s options, there was a competitive debut at full-back for 18 year old Remi Birch as well as the long awaited return to action of Mason Rowley – following the popular defender’s broken leg back in September.

Town started brightly, with both David Kolodynski and Ruben Wiggins-Thomas testing Stourport keeper Dominic Richards in the opening phase of the match.

Meanwhile the hosts were failing to cause Rugby’s reshaped back-line any noticeable difficulties, although Paul Hurrell did head one wide of the target, before Wiggins-Thomas again went close to reinforce Valley’s superiority.

This finally brought its rewards on 38 minutes when Josh Ruff sliced one across the box to allow Kolodynski to react the quickest and duly smack the ball into the roof of the net from ten yards out.

Ruff also struck the upright with a long range strike ahead of the end of the first period – which was significantly delayed following lengthy treatment to the referee near its conclusion.

The first opportunity of the new half fell the home side’s Nick MacPherson, when the newly-arrived sub tested Niall Cooper with a fiercely struck shot from twenty yards.

Lewis McPike also missed a decent chance for Stourport when he put one wide of the target, after he had been played in by Jim Hanson. Ruff was then denied by two saves from Richards within a few minutes of each other, with Valley’s John Mills also seeing his effort kept out by the home keeper.

Having failed to secure a critical two goal cushion, Rugby began to tire a little – giving the hosts the impetus to probe further for a leveller.

After a series of Swifts’ corners had failed to pay dividends, one from Myles Newman was not dealt with properly by the Town defence and eventually Fulloway forced ball across the line to snatch a point for his side.

Valley Line-up: N Cooper; Print, Birch, Rowley, Castleton; Beasley, Ruff; Hendrie, Holloway (Mills), Kolodynski; Wiggins-Thomas. Subs not used: Bodycote. Booked: Beasley, Birch, Kolodynski.

Stourport line-up: Richards, Joe Hanson, Fulloway, Hurrell, Higginson, Parsons-Smith, Priest, Jim Hanson, Colley, McPike, Parker. Subs: MacPherson, Newman, Rogers.