Rugby Town put in a perfect away performance to win comfortably at promotion rivals Deeping Rangers and leapfrog them back into second place.

The visitors were a threat in attack from the off and resolute in defence throughout, with goals from Lewis Rankin, Simeon Tulloch and Loyiso Recci earning them the valuable three point haul.

Rankin had returned to Valley's starting line-up having sat out the midweek win at Rothwell, with Justin Marsden continuing in the central midfield role he took up midway through the first half of that fixture following the injury to Richard Bunting.

Rankin scuffed an early chance wide after Edwin Ahenkorah had cut the ball back to him, as Town made an encouraging start to the game.

The opening goal came shortly after, when Ahenkorah again did well in a wide position feeding Rankin, who in turn played in Keenah Rosser - whose angled strike was only parried by Rangers' keeper Lewis Elsom to allow Rankin the opportunity to net the loose ball.

Marsden skewed one off-target, Dom Perkins's shot was deflected away for a corner and Charlie Evans headed over as Rugby's dominance continued, with the hosts only significant effort of the opening twenty minutes seeing Matt Hill gather Michael Simpson's header at the second attempt.

Tulloch powered his shot over after Evans had set him up, and later when Tulloch returned the compliment, Evans could not get a shot off from a decent position.

For Deeping, Dan Jarvis did have an on-target effort stopped by his own team-mate Cameron Johnson and Perkins did well to block Dan Schiavi's strike.

Evans had two further chances for Town, before the home side put in their best spell of the first half towards its conclusion, with Hill pulling off a fine diving save to keep out Johnson's volley and Scott Mooney also lobbed wide.

Rangers commenced the new period brightly too, but Hill was equal to both David Burton-Jones's and Jarvis's shots in its opening exchanges.

Valley's second on 59 minutes ended the brief resurgence though, after Rankin had shown great skill in the middle of the park before picking out Ahenkorah - whose low shot came back off the post into the path of Tulloch, who confidently side-footed home.

Only four further minutes had elapsed before Town made the game safe, when Evans flicked on Ahenkorah's corner to provide a straightforward finish at the far post for the unmarked Recci.

Rugby saw out the remainder of the game with relatively ease, although Hill did tip a long range effort by Schiavi round the post, whislt at the other end Elsom did likewise to Ahenkorah's strike after a surging run by the impressive Town striker.

Valley Line-up: Hill; Recci, Summerfield, Francis; Rosser, Tulloch, Perkins, Marsden (Kavanagh), Rankin (Holloway); Evans, Ahenkorah. Subs not used: Connor, Steele. Booked: Kavanagh, Evans, Perkins, Rankin.

Deeping line-up: Elsom, Flack, Pike, Burton-Jones, Hunnings, Jarvis, Simpson, Coulson, Mooney, Schiavi, Johnson. Subs: Walker, Carter, Marsden, Bircham.