Valley eased themselves into the last sixteen of the Vase with a comfortable win over the Eastern Counties League outfit.

In front of a noisy Butlin Road crowd, Town put in a composed and controlling performance, with a Danico Johnson brace and goals from Justin Marsden, Loyiso Recci and Caine Elliott securing them their sixth success of this season's competition.

Rugby boss Carl Adams made just one change from the starting line-up that had struggled in the previous weekend's home league defeat to leaders Hinckley, with Jamal Clarke back in the side in place of Max Johnson.

The hosts started confidently, and their first chance of the game fell to Clarke, but he could only help Elliott's corner wide of the target.

David Kolodynski then poked one wide from a dangerous position and another Clarke header failed to trouble Heath keeper Charlie Beckwith, as the home side persisted with their early dominance.

The opportunities continued to come and they became clearer cut for Town, with Kolodynski going close after he had been released by Marsden, and Johnson also getting in behind the visitors' defence before screwing the ball the wrong side of the post.

Kolodynski's scissor kick to Clarke's headed flick-on also flew wide, and Dan Summerfield volleyed over ahead of Valley's opener on the half hour mark which came after Johnson and Kolodynski had swapped passes with each other in the box to allow Johnson to ultimately guide the ball under the body of Beckwith.

Kolodynski stabbed another one off-target, before Lakenheath created their first significant moment of concern in the Town box when Ash Bodycote just managed to deal with Ross Bailey's low cross with striker Shaun Avis ready to pounce.

Marsden succeeded in extending Rugby's lead going into the break though, when he followed up on Beckwith's parry to Kolodynski's strike to score from close range.

The second half started relatively quietly, with Town unable to take advantage of an extra man which had been created by the sinbinning of Sam Hawley for dissent as the teams had left the pitch at half-time, although Johnson did put in one weak shot and then Clarke blazed well over.

Rugby then stepped up the gears once more, with Beckwith clawing away a Kolodynski effort from a tight angle and Dean Grogan blocking Johnson's attempt to force home the loose ball.

The critical third goal came on 64 minutes when Edwin Ahenkorah teed up Johnson for a neatly curled strike into the bottom corner.

This decisive blow prompted another verbal volley from Hawley at the referee and the Heath skipper was duly shown his second sinbin yellow of the game.

Bodycote was then called upon for his first real save of the tie when he kept out a well-struck volley from sub Alex McIntosh.

To the post-match consternation of Lakenheath manager Ben Cowling and also to the apparent contradiction of the rules, no replacement was ultimately allowed for the now double dissenting Hawley, and this time Rugby took full advantage of their numerical supremacy with two further strikes within six minutes.

Recci made it four with a crisp low shot from fully twenty yards on 75 minutes and then Elliott expertly clipped home a cross from the right - with Town sub Max Johnson assuming the role of provider for both goals.

Beckwith prevented a sixth with a good save to Ahenkorah's effort, before the visitors grabbed a consolation for their efforts on 90 minutes when Avis smashed home from the penalty spot after Clarke was adjudged to have pushed over Tom Thurlborn in the box.

There was one further twist to the game after the final whistle though, with the Lakenheath manager indicating that his club was looking at lodging an appeal following the incorrect application of the sinbin protocols by the match officials.

Valley Line-up: Bodycote; Rosser, L Recci, Clarke; Summerfield, Ahenkorah, Fitzharris, Elliott, Marsden (Max Johnson); Danico Johnson, Kolodynski (Parker (Hancocks)). Subs not used: Josh Thomas, Francis. Booked: None.

Lakenheath line-up: Beckwith, Logan, Peters, Hawley, Grogan, Underwood, Hammond, Bailey, Avis, Thurlborn, Clarke. Subs: McIntosh, Banks, Webber, Enaro, Debenham, Nurse.