Valley fell to a narrow defeat at league leaders Harborough Town in the first action of the New Year.
Close-range goals either side of half-time had put the high-flying hosts in control of the game, before Rugby set up an uncomfortable finish for them when Loyiso Recci pegged one back in the 90th minute.
Town's starting line-up showed one change from the side that had triumphed on Boxing Day against Gresley, with Ryan Sahota returning in place of concussion-victim Barry Fitzharris.
Harborough started in a predictably strong fashion, and Tomasz Bukowski was called into action early doors with a neat parry to a shot on the turn by Jordan Crawford.
David Kolodynski limped from the field after just nine minutes with a hamstring injury, as the home side continued to carve out chances - with Recci doing well to clear away a dangerous Kai Tonge cross.
Connor Kennedy then struck the bar after Bukowski's good reflex save had denied the head of Alex Morris, and from the secondary play the Valley keeper pulled off an even better one to keep out Tonge's diving header.
Tendai Daire headed wide and Tonge's strike to the near post was also saved, as the hosts continued to probe for the opening goal, before it was Harborough keeper Elliott Taylor's opportunity to shine with a diving stop to Madundo Semahimbo's curling effort after Roger Lee had laid the ball back to him.
The deadlock was finally broken on 34 minutes though, when Ben Williams flicked on a long throw from Dan Cooper to allow Daire to head home from a couple of yards out.
Another Semahimbo strike from the edge of the box was then gathered by Taylor, with Ryan Sahota also firing one over the bar in the closing stages of the first period.
Daire blazed one high of the target not long after the restart, before the home side extended their advantage on 65 minutes when Williams pounced on James Mace's block to Morris's shot to fire home after Crawford had done well in the build-up.
It was nearly three when Tonge got in down the left-hand wing, but Bukowski managed to get a fingertip to his low effort and divert the ball past the post.
Justice Campbell lifted shot was relatively easily caught by Taylor after Jordan Wilson's pass had released him, with Mace's header to Campbell's free-kick looping over the bar.
Tonge's strike after he had cut in was saved, and both Daire and Dodzi Agbenu missed the target with their efforts in further chances for Harborough.
There was a late twist however, after Semahimbo had run purposefully with the ball from inside his own half before falling in the penalty area to earn the reward of a penalty-kick.
Recci took the responsibility of firing home from the spot to ensure a nervous finish for the Bees, although aside from a searching cross from Campbell and then Recci's marauding run down the right, they were untroubled by Valley's pursuit of an equaliser.
Valley
Line-up: Bukowski; Summerfield, Thomas (Francis), Mace, Recci; Lee, Sahota, Campbell; Semahimbo, Kolodynski (Kear), Wilson. Subs not used: Fitzharris. Bookings: Kear, Sahota.
