Rugby Town ended their losing streak at fellow strugglers St Neots Town but had to settle with a draw after a late penalty miss.
In a topsy-turvy encounter, Rugby recovered from going a goal down early on to then lead at half-time.
However, the hosts scored a penalty to level things up after the break, before Valley had their own chance to score from the spot but Caine Elliott saw his effort saved by James Goff.
Charlie Woods returned between the sticks for Town, with Jamal Adams handed his first start since rejoining the club recently in two changes to Valley's starting eleven from their previous game at Coventry Sphinx.
Eniola Agemoh-Davies put in a dangerous cross in the first few minutes which Rugby did well to clear, before Town had a great opportunity to open the scoring after Nathan Kabeya's surge into the left-hand side of the penalty led to Elliott, Adams and then Elliott again just unable to force the ball home - with Goff finally managing to scramble a save.
The hosts then fired a warning shot when MJ Muyembe's cross to the back-post was met by Rhys Thorpe, but his headed effort was caught by Woods. However, another deep delivery shortly after - this time from Sam Willis - once more picked out Thorpe, and his downward header beat Woods to find the net.
Rivel Mardenborough had a shot blocked and Harvey Williams's low strike on the turn was saved by Woods, as the two sides traded chances, with Goff also keeping out Kabeya's curling effort.
Town's equaliser came on 29 minutes after Teddy Rowe had laid the ball across to Trey Charles to cut inside and fire one in on goal - which Goff could only parry to allow Adams to react quickest to the loose ball and execute a neat finish. Williams then sent one over the bar after the tricky winger had shown quick feet on the edge of the box, before Callum Woodward had Goff at full-length dealing with a curled shot from twenty yards.
With a minute of the first-half remaining, Valley edged themselves ahead when Sam Tye rose well to powerfully head home Rowe's excellent cross from the right.
Saints started the new period brightly though, and they were soon on the offensive - with Elliott doing well to snuff out a Williams' centre, and Woods pulling off a decent save with his legs to a another Williams strike.
Tye then blocked out another Thorpe back-post header, before Thorpe's quick throw-in caught Rugby off-guard which led to Kabeya being penalised for a pull on Williams inside the penalty area to give home skipper Robbie Parker the chance to successfully send Woods the wrong way from the spot.
Elliott and Tye both had shots blocked, before Valley were awarded a spot-kick of their own after sub Kobi Bivens had chased down a long ball forward from Bivens - only to be felled by Charlie Bowen. Ellliott took his spot-kick record this season to scored four, missed two with a central strike that lacked the power to beat Goff.
Rowe lifted a free-kick onto the top of the Saints net, and as both teams pushed for a late winner, Mj Muyembe blazed over from close range after Williams had broken quickly and Tye's on-target volley was pushed behind the post for a corner.
The result did at least end Rugby's five-match run without a point, while St Neots have still failed to win in 2026 - although a draw was a score neither side would be delighted about.
Valley
Line-up: Woods; Tye, Kabeya, Thomas, Nicholson; Elliott, Woodward, Rowe; Charles (Concannon 81'), Mardenborough, Adams (Bivens 67'). Subs not used: Lundoloki, Dulgheru. Booked: Nicholson, Kabeya, Woodward, Elliott.
