RIVEL Mardenborough’s goal earned Rugby Town a third straight league win with a 1-0 victory against Loughborough Students.
Mardenborough produced the game’s decisive moment on 22 minutes at Butlin Road as Valley recorded a third successive win and clean sheet.
The result means Rugby sit ninth in the Northern Premier League Midlands table, one point outside of the play-off places.
Mardenborough scored the winner midway through the first half with a low shot past Jude Sadler in the Loughborough goal after he carried the ball into the box from Sam Tye’s pass.
Prior to the goal, Josh Thomas cleared a shot off the line following a Loughborough corner to keep the game scoreless.
Valley almost doubled their lead before the break as Greg Tempest saw his low shot travel narrowly wide.
The home side spurned a glorious chance to extend their advantage as Harrison Nee curled a shot over the bar following a slip at the back.
And Cairo Taylor then blasted over in the box after powering his way into the penalty area from inside his own half.
Valley missed further chances to seal the points as Sadler denied Mardenborough when one-on-one while Nathan Kabeya also failed to find the net from the edge of the penalty area.
Loughborough piled on the pressure late on and almost drew level at the death as Valley survived an almighty goalmouth scramble to take the points.
Rugby are next in action against Long Eaton United on Saturday, November 1 with kick-off at 3pm at Grange Park.
