Rugby played out a competitive draw with Southern League Premier Central side Alvechurch in the first Butlin Road action of pre-season.

It was something of a game of two halves with Rugby largely on top in the first time and Valley's higher-level opponents reversing the roles in the second half.

New centre back Ethan Hanson opened the scoring for Rugby from a corner just before the half hour mark with Alvechurch captain Krystian Pearce levelling ten minutes later.

Valley boss Grant Joshua was without a number of key players with Callum Griffin, Blue McNeil, Rivel Mardenborough and Olly West not available due to holidays while Curvin Sanderson-Ellis, Harry Cunningham and Adam Hanson still missed out with injury.

Ethan Hanson arguably missed the easiest chance of the game for Valley before his goal after just ten minutes when he headed wide with a free header from six yards following Harrison Nee's corner.

Valley came close again just before the opener when substitute Sam Ellis saw his shot blocked before Nee's goalbound follow-up deflected wide.

From another excellent Nee corner which followed, Ethan Hanson espaced his man to plant a neat header at the far post beyond Redman Evans into the net.

Alvechurch's first real shot in anger came on 35 minutes when Pearce lifted a shot over the bar but he made no mistake to level five minutes later.

Following a corner Kieran Wakefield's scuffed effort fell perfectly for Pearce who turned the off-target shot into the net from close range.

In the second half Ben Newey did well to come out to thwart substitute John Ngandu who had been slipped in on goal before fellow sub Tope Obadeyi shot well high and wide with a curling effort.

One-time Valley loanee Shay Willock headed a decent chance wide while Sam Tye headed off target at the other end from close range from another Nee corner kick.

The last action of the game saw Alvechurch's Josh Dugmore fire a shot wildly over from the edge of the area.

Valley Line-up: Newey; Tye, Kabeya (Bostock 81'), Thomas, Hanson; Sahota (Francis 66'), Elliott, Taylor; Reid (Ellis 29'), Nee, Palmer (Wood 66').