Mikey Taylor's first half strike secured Rugby Town the spoils in the Bank Holiday Warwickshire derby at Butlin Road.

The newly-promoted visitors certainly put in a decent shift in the first half in particular, but were all to often guilty of ineffectual finishing in the Rugby box, although Town did improve as the game progressed and were mainly limiting Warwick to half-chances and speculative efforts by the end.

It was a much-altered Valley team that took the pitch at the start, with six changes to the starting line-up from the one that had played two days earlier at Sutton Coldfield.

There were, therefore, first competitive starts of the season for David Kolodynski, Chris Clements and Madundo Semahimbo against a Racing side that included ex-Rugby keeper Sam Lomax between the sticks and two further Valley old boys Josh Willis and James Hancocks in midfield.

The visitors were at the Town defence from the off, with centre-forward Greg Mills often at the heart of the threat.

Mills had an early shot well blocked by Callum Rai after Louis Monaghan's cross had picked him out, with a further Mills' effort also blocked away not long after that.

Connor Taylor's header to an Archie Hemp did find the net on 15 minutes though, but was ruled out by an offside flag, before Town went straight up the other end and scored what proved to be the only goal of the game when Taylor's scuffed shot crept past Lomax after Kolodynski had laid back Semahimbo's low cross to him.

Potential openings continued to flow for Warwick though, with another Mills shot blocked by Damien Osoimoejiokhian, and a Connor Mooney corner drifting dangerously across the face of Rugby's goal.

Another Mooney delivery was cut-out, as the visitors kept plugging away for an equaliser, with Taylor's header to Clements's cross bouncing harmlessly wide of the post representing a rare attacking moment from the hosts.

Mills then had a close-range header caught by Hathaway and further strike blocked, before Taylor could have easily added to his tally with another bobbling shot that once more ended up the wrong side of the target.

Hathaway was down well to smother the ball after Hancocks's free-kick had led to a scramble in the Rugby box, with Mills's cross just missing out on its target and Connor Taylor's lofted strike failing to trouble the Rugby keeper.

Town ended the first half brightly though, and their increased possession and territorial advantage led to a series of corners.

Semahimbo's cross after a neat run down the right lacked precision though, and Harrison Nee saw his shot blocked shortly after.

Taylor almost muscled his way through after this, and then another Nee effort was blocked - with Barry Fitzharris curling the loose ball into Lomax's arms before the half-time whistle was blown.

A neat Kolodynski flick-on after the restart led to a Taylor strike that was blocked, and then Osoimpejiokhian's cross was nearly converted by Taylor as Rugby started the new period in promising fashion.

Semahimbo had two potential opportunities to register his first goal of the campaign but could not find the target with either, with Ryan Nesbitt lifting a free-kick well over the bar for Racing Club. Hathaway then comfortably saved Declan Peart's header, with the same player also hooking another chance wide.

Kolodynski's perfectly-executed volley to Ethan O'Toole's cross really did deserve a goal, but instead it struck the inside of Lomax's post and bounced agonisingly along the line before it was cleared.

Clements's free-kick drifted wide of the upright and a Nee shot from an angled position was blocked after Kolodynski had released him down the left.

Nesbitt's wild strike from distance was Warwick's last effort of note, with another Clements off-target free-kick and Hilton Arthur's weak finish attempt representing Town's late attacking highlights.

Valley Line-up: Hathaway; Summerfield, Osoimoejiokhian, Thomas, Rai; Semahimbo (O'Toole 64'), Nee (Francis 90'+1), Fitzharris, Clements; Taylor (Arthur 71'), Kolodynski. Subs not used: Sahota. Bookings: Rai, Nee, O'Toole, Osoimoejiokhian.

Warwick Line-up: Lomax, Freeman, Hamp, Willis, Peart, Barnett, Taylor, Hancocks, Mills, Monaghan, Mooney. Subs: McKenzie, Edmunds, Liburd, Nesbitt, Snedden.