Valley enjoyed a comfortable evening on the road in the NPL Midlands with a dominant display in Sutton Coldfield.

First half goals from Harrison Nee and Sam Tye were the least reward deserved after a free-flowing attacking display by Rugby in the first half with a Tom Hurley own goal completing the scoring in the second half.

With games still coming and thick and fast for Town, Grant Joshua had rung the changes for the game as he looked to keep players fresh - making five changes from the creditable performance and draw at Basford three days earlier.

There was a debut in midfield for new signing Greg Tempest, and recalls to the starting line-up for Nathan Kabeya, Bleu McNeil, Harrison Nee and Cairo Taylor.

Nee's cross to the back post drifted just beyond its intended target early on, whilst the Royals responded with a threatening cross of their own from Jayden Campbell.

However, the rest of the first-half was virtually all Valley's, and skipper Sam Tye was soon having a low shot saved by James Wren after Rivel Mardenborough had laid the ball back to him.

A strike from Nee was blocked following a lifted pass from Tempest, with the 31-year-old one-time Notts County man in supplying mode again shortly after to set up Mardenborough for a low shot which went wide of the upright.

Town's opening goal came on sixteen minutes when Caine Elliott threaded a great pass through for Nee to run onto and finish low into the bottom corner.

Rugby were straight back on it, and after Nee had done well to press high up the pitch and regain possession, he released Mardenborough for another effort which Wren kept out - before Elliott dragged the rebound attempt wide.

An incredible passage of play followed shortly after as Valley laid siege to the Sutton goal, with the visitors missing out with four efforts in less than half a minute.

Mardenborough and Taylor had played a neat headed one-two on the edge of the box to tee Mardenborough up for a strike that came back off the post, with Thomas's follow-up strike cleared off the line, and a subsequent Mardenborough header saved, with Taylor's final strike in the immediate attacking phase going just wide.

Town keeper Marcus Bald did then save Campbell's back-post volley, and Zazi-Bope Zazi flashed a dangerous ball across the face of the goal, but it was a fleeting recovery spell from the hosts, and Valley were soon back on top.

Kabeya's low effort was saved by Wren, and Nee struck one way over, before Town doubled their lead on 37 minutes when Geoffrey Lundoloki's flighted pass released Nee down the left, and his centre was flicked against the post by Mardenborough, with Tye on-hand to ram home the rebound with a first-time strike.

A Mardenborough shot was tipped over after more impressive wide-play from Nee, and Tye headed over a Tempest corner, as Rugby looked to further extend their advantage ahead of the interval.

Taylor ended the half with a shot that flew over the bar, after he had done well to create himself space on the edge of the penalty area.

Rugby continued from where they had left off after the restart, and Tye fired one just wide after slick build-up play from the visitors. Town struck the woodwork again when Tye powerfully met a Tempest corner with a header that was headed up onto his own bar by Royals' defender Jack Lynch.

Tempest then sent a further set-piece just over, before the home side finally created a few chances of their own.

James McGrady's on-target strike was blocked by Mardenborough, Campbell lifted Zazi's cross over, and then Bald spread himself well to pull of a great save to deny McGrady.

In between these though, Wren had pulled off an equally good stop to prevent Nee finishing off a low cross from Taylor at close quarters. Rugby secured their third on 68 minutes, when they broke quickly - with Mardenborough neatly releasing Taylor down the right wing once more.

This time his delivery bore fruit with Hurley sliding in ahead of Tye to divert the ball past his own keeper.

Reece Gibson dragged one wide for the Royals, and Elliott was thwarted by a decent covering tackle from Vidal Hendrickson, with Bald then gathering Campbell's effort at the second attempt. Rugby nearly made it four late-on, when a cracking through ball from Tempest released Taylor on goal - only for him to lift the ball over the top of the frame.

Valley Line-up: Bald; Kabeya, Lundoloki, Thomas, McNeil; Tempest (Martin 89'), Elliott (Griffin 83'), Tye (Sahota 90'); Taylor (Shaw 90'), Nee (Organ 77'), Mardenborough. Subs not used: None. Booked: Elliott.

Sutton Coldfield Line-up: Wren, Hendrickson, Lynch, McGinnell, Beresford, Hurley, Campbell, Doyle, Gibson, McGrady, Zazi. Subs: Smith, R.Shaw, Byrne, Edmunds, Burke.