A defensive horror show led to a disappointing defeat against Belper Town on a wet Butlin Road evening.
The visitors capitalised on critical errors as Valley conceded two goals directly from balls into the box as well as a late shot from outside the box.
Valley were three adrift within 36 minutes, and whilst the hosts rallied a little after the break and pulled one back early into the new half through Rivel Mardenborough, they were unable to add to their tally and conceded another soft one late-on to ensure they were on the wrong end of four goals for the first time this season.
There was a first start on the wing for recent Rugby signing Noah Rubio, with Nathan Kabeya back in the side after he had missed the 3-0 defeat at Coleshill three days earlier. The visitors were at Town from the off, and after Callum Griffin conceded an early free-kick in a dangerous position, Belper took a second-minute lead when the set-piece taker Curtis Burrows followed up on his half-cleared original delivery with a looping header from the edge of the box which somehow bounced its way past keeper Charlie Woods and into the net.
Jonathan Wafula headed wide Louis Keenan's free-kick, and Luke Shaw's jinking run into Valley's penalty area ended with a shot that was blocked by Josh Thomas, as the Nailers looked to immediately extend their advantage.
Mardenborough did then send in an off-target volley after Kobi Bivens had found some space down the right-hand-side, but Rugby's respite was limited and Wafula was soon testing Woods with a well-struck effort which the home keeper parried away.
Belper's second came on 25 minutes when Kevin Bastos again caused problems on the right-wing, before putting in a cross that was missed by four Rugby defenders (and two away attackers) to find its way through to Liam Moran to calmly slide the ball home.
Shaw blazed one over, before Keenan made it three when Woods again misjudged his whipped free-kick from out wide, and let it beat him at the near post.
Town's first on-target attempt of the half saw Bivens's header to a deep cross from Sam Tye saved by Belper keeper Kieran Preston, with Rubio having a subsequent effort blocked on the edge of the box.
Woods escaped further embarrassment when his clearance struck the pressing Moran but fortunately the ball did not bounce towards his goal, with the final kick of the first-half seeing Caine Elliott's low free-kick from the penalty box line deflected just wide.
It was a more purposeful Town that re-emerged from the break, and they gained an instant reward when Mardenborough ran onto Elliott's high ball behind the Belper defence to fire low past Preston from twenty-yards.
Goalmouth action was at a premium for both sides for a significant period following Rugby's goal, although Shaw did shoot one wide and dangerman Bastos also put one way over.
The closest Rugby came to a second of the evening came when Griffin played in Bivens down the right, but his powerful cross was blocked in the box amidst unsuccessful appeals for hand-ball.
Any hope of an unlikely Valley comeback evaporated on 84 minutes when Bastos was rewarded for his stellar performance when his low strike from distance picked up speed on the greasy surface and squirmed past Woods.
Rugby sub Trey Charles did have a late strike blocked, before the curtain came down on a third straight loss for Grant Joshua's men.
