The first ever Rugby Derby ended in defeat for Rugby Town as Lindon Meikle's 76-minute header settled a dour contest at Butlin Road.
It was a predictably tense affair in front of a crowd of 1,169 at Butlin Road but the hosts had definitely looked the more purposeful proposition ahead of Meikle's winner - which represented Borough's only attempt on target of the whole game.
Town's starting line-up showed three changes from the one that had lost out at Rushden earlier in the week, with Harrison Nee back after missing a month out injured, Callum Griffin also fit again and Jack Concannon in from the off.
Three one-time Valleyites featured in Borough's opening eleven with Sam Lomax, Chris Clements and Ellis Myles named by ex-Town boss Dave Stringer while Butlin Road academy coach Will Grocott was among the visitors' substitutes.
There was an understandably cagey start to the game, although Geoffrey Lundoloki did put in a high cross early on which was caught by Lomax, whilst at the other end Josh Thomas timed his tackle well to snuff out Myles's run into the penalty box.
A Teddy Rowe cross was then cut-out, ahead of the first real opportunity of the match which saw Nee fire his first-time volley over the bar, after Rivel Mardenborough had headed a Bleu McNeil long throw onto him.
Borough's appeal for a penalty when Nathan Kabeya challenged Aaron Nuttall around the edge of the area was turned down, after the ex-Hinckley and Corby winger had looked to run onto a neatly threaded pass from Jake Duffy.
Teddy Rowe's free-kick from twenty-five yards floated harmlessly wide, and Griffin had a shot blocked - as the hosts looked the more likely to break the deadlock.
Mardenborough's effort on the turn was deflected behind for a corner in another good chance for Grant Joshua's men, with Concannon and Lundoloki both having potentially threatening crosses cut out, and Thomas also heading Griffin's cross wide ahead of the interval.
Significant goalmouth action was at even more of a premium after the restart, although Borough did manage an attempt of sorts when substitute Benji Adomako put in a weak, off-target header to Duffy's set-piece shortly after his introduction from the bench.
The closest Town came to scoring saw a rising effort from Concannon tipped over the bar by Lomax after Kabeya had slipped him in with 63 minutes on the clock.
A Teddy Rowe corner then ricocheted up off Myles at the near post, but fortunately Lomax was alert to the potential danger, before Valley sub Trey Charles's burst into the box from the right ended with a shot that looped up off a defender and away to safety.
Borough then executed their smash-and-grab manoeuvre to perfection with fourteen minutes of normal time remaining, when Luke Rowe and Meikle combined well in the middle of the pitch, before the latter swept the ball across to Myles in space on the right, and he sent in an excellent centre into the path of Meikle to finish off the move with a smart downward header past Marcus Bald.
Town huffed and puffed after the goal - enjoying the bulk of possession and territory, but aside from a couple of strikes from Kabeya, they never really looked like dragging themselves level.
Kabeya's first effort from the edge of the area after he had run from deep was easily gathered low by Lomax, and his second flew way over the frame following Cairo Taylor's crossfield pass to him.
Borough's smattering of orange-clad followers therefore made the short journey home with the local bragging rights, and Town will have to wait until the very last game of the league campaign at Kilsby Lane to attempt to regain them.
