Rugby Town's winning streak came to an abrupt end in a local derby against Long Buckby at Butlin Road.

Town's five game winning streak came to an abrupt end in the local derby, after the hosts put in a below-par performance under the Butlin Road lights.

A dour first half had ended with Adam Shaw giving Buckby the lead, which was extended by Ryan Ansell on 70 minutes whilst Valley had been temporarily reduced to nine men by the sinbinning of Dylan Parker and Loyiso Recci.

Liam Francis then gave some hope to the home supporters with his third of the season, but there was ultimately no way back for Town, with Baillie O'Reilly scoring another for the visitors in stoppage time.

Jamal Clarke started for the first time since his return to the club, with Keenah Rosser the Rugby player to miss out from the previous match victory at Biggleswade.

Goalmouth action was few and far between however throughout the opening half an hour, although Loyiso Recci did have a weak header cleared from the goal-line and Danico Johnson chipped one onto the roof of the net.

For Buckby, recent Town departure Jordan Hayward's rising shot from distance sailed over the target, but the Rugby defence were caught out on the stroke of half-time when Shaw ran onto his own chipped through ball to then lift it over Jake Woodward for the opening goal.

The new period was a more eventful affair, and Rugby could soon have drawn themselves level but for an excellent full length save by Scott Martin to David Kolodynski's well-struck effort from just outside the penalty area.

At the other end, Max Proudlock headed a decent chance just wide of the frame, just before both Parker and Recci received their ten minute punishment for dissent.

The nine men of Rugby did nearly snatch an equaliser when Alex Lock's bobbling attempt was blocked, but with less than sixty seconds of numerical disadvantage left on the clock, Buckby grabbed their second when Ansell nipped in front of his marker to head home Hayward's cross from the left.

Francis gave his side a lifeline on 75 minutes when he looped in Kolodynski's flick-on to a James Hancocks' set-piece, but the Town scorer then appeared to inadvertently block another goalbound effort from a Hancocks' delivery - this time from Johnson.

That near miss was Valley's last real opportunity of salvaging something from the game, and the visitors rounded off affairs late on by catching the home side shorthanded at the back - with O'Reilly ultimately steering the ball beyond Woodward.

Valley Line-up: Woodward; English, Omar Recci (Parker), Clarke, Loyiso Recci; Fitzharris, Lock, Hancocks; Danico Johnson, Ahenkorah (Francis), Kolodynski. Subs not used: Rosser, Bodycote, Marsden. Booked: Parker, Fitzharris, Hancocks. Sin Bin: Parker, Loyiso Recci.

Buckby line-up: Martin, Gamble, Hayward, Yeats, Pursey, Flaig, Shaw, Proudlock, Shipman, Ansell, O'Reilly. Subs: Bolton, Bishop, Cooke, Bromage, Entwhistle.