Valley were held to a draw in their penultimate pre-season friendly against lower league FC Stratford at Butlin Road.

Danico Johnson struck twice in the first half to put Rugby two to the good but substitute Ethan Champkins netted twice for the visitors shortly after the break to level things up.

With a week to go until the season begins against Lutterworth Town at Butlin Road next Tuesday, Carl Adams was again without a number of players through injury and Covid isolation meaning a makeshift back three which included full-backs Keenah Rosser and Lee Thomas.

Dylan Parker and Charlie Evans were rested from the start while Loyiso Recci, Omar Recci, Barry Fitzharris, Kurtis Revan and Melu Mpande were all unavailable.

The first goal was a typical Danico Johnson effort as he twisted and turned away from his markers in the area before dispatching the ball into the net after a good touch and pull-back from the right by Josh Thomas.

Johnson scored the second with a first time low strike after a good reverse pass into the box by Justin Marsden to make it six pre-season goals so far.

Stratford had threatened regularly on the break in the first half and tested the Rugby backline without a final product but that changed right after the break as they came out firing.

The visitors broke quickly down the left culminating in Valley goalkeeper Ben Newey being beaten to the ball allowing a simple cross to be converted by Champkins into an empty net from close range.

It was soon two as Stratford cut through the Rugby defence down the right this time and an excellent cross to the far post was headed into the net by the unmarked Champkins.

Valley Line-up: Newey; Rosser, L Thomas, Francis; J Thomas, Hayward, M Johnson, Hancocks; Marsden, D Johnson, Kolodynski. Subs: Evans, Parker.