Valley put in a pleasing pre-season performance with victory over Coventry City Under 23's at Butlin Road.

A brace from Charlie Evans won the game in hot and humid conditions against a well-organised City side who included a number of players with first team experience.

Kieran Fitzgerald dragged an early shot wide from a good position in the penalty area after excellent work by Evans before Coventry created a number of chances in the opening exchanges.

Firstly Max Bimou saw hisclose-range shot was well held by Matt Hill in the Rugby before Jack Burroughs shot just over from outside the box.

Biamou wasted another great opportunity when the Valley defence was cut open by William Bapaga's through ball as he scuffed his first time effort straight at Hill.

Evans' endeavour in the Rugby attack was clear to see and he went close with a curling effort from the edge of the area before Coventry's Drysdale came close at the other end but he headed wide

Rugby should have led when they won the ball high up the field culminating in Evans teeing up Justin Marsden in the centre of the penalty area but City stopper Tom Billson pulled off a superb save to stop a certain goal.

Shortly after this the deadlock was broken though when Evans got his deserved opening goal firing a low shot into the net after being teed up by Fitzgerald.

After the break, Coventry's Bapaga came close with a shot from the edge of the area before Rugby doubled their lead seven minutes into the second half.

Jamal Clarke nodded a corner down to Evans in the box and last season's Player of the Season made no mistake, planting his effort into the roof of the net.

As per the usual friendly game scenario, the rhythm of the game went out of the window in the second half after a raft of substitutions for both sides although City did press for a goal back but Burroughs and Ngandu could only find the gloves of Hill.

Valley Line-up: Matt Hill, Keenah Rosser (Daniel Kavanagh), Lee Thomas, Rico Alexander, Jamal Clarke (Liam Francis), Loysio Recci, Dan White (Sam Lockley), Sam Tamakloe (Harry Holloway), Justin Marsden (Eli Bako), Kieran Fitzgerald (Jazz Luckie), Charlie Evans.

Coventry Line-up: Billson (Tyler), Rowe, Drysdale (McCallum), Trialist, Trialist, Maycock (G.Burroughs), Westbrooke (Ngandu), Burroughs, Trialist, Bapaga (Walters), Biamou (Bremang).