RUGBY Town boss Grant Joshua admits a ‘more clinical’ Basford United punished his Rugby Town side in a battling performance.
Valley suffered a 3-2 defeat against high-flying Basford at Butlin Road after trailing by two goals following strikes from Jordan Hallam and Tyler Dacres.
A Will Harris header halved the deficit only for Nyle Blake to restore Basford’s two-goal cushion while Sam Tye struck soon after to keep Valley in the contest.
And despite slipping to defeat, Rugby boss Joshua felt his side more than matched third-placed Basford throughout the game.
Joshua said: “We didn’t start the game particularly well, but once we had got that out of the way, I thought we played through the pitch brilliantly and they struggled to get to grips with our movement and tempo.
“Unfortunately though, we all know games are won in the boxes, and they were clinical when they got the opportunities.”
Joshua named three new signings in his matchday squad for the game against Basford.
Goalkeeper Charlie Woods started from the off while defender Ryley Nicholson and attacking midfielder Noah Rubio both came off the bench in the second half.
Woods joined Valley from Coventry Sphinx with the 21-year-old shot-stopper making the same move to Butlin Road as former Town academy prospect Nicholson.
And 20-year-old Rubio previously spent time in the Kidderminster Harriers academy and played for Sporting Club Inkberrow at Step Four this season.
Rugby are next in action against Coleshill Town on Saturday, February 7 with kick-off at 3pm Pack Meadow.
