RUGBY Town paid the price after making a number of defensive errors in a 4-1 home defeat against high-flying Belper Town.
Valley found themselves three goals behind at the break following efforts from Curtis Burrows, Liam Moran and Louis Keenan at Butlin Road.
Rugby reduced the deficit early in the second period when Rivel Mardenborough found the net only for Kevin Bastos to complete the scoring for play-off chasing Belper late on.
The result means Valley sit 18th in the Northern Premier League Midlands table, one point above the relegation zone.
Rugby made the worst possible start when Burrows saw his header from the edge of the penalty area bounce into the net with Jonathan Wafula’s presence enough to put off home goalkeeper Charlie Woods.
And Belper doubled their lead on 25 minutes as Moran turned home Bastos’s cross at the back post after the latter controlled goalkeeper Kieran Preston’s long pass.
Belper scored a third goal on 36 minutes when Keenan’s whipped free-kick from the touchline bounced up off the turf and deceived Woods at the goalkeeper’s near post.
Rugby responded one minute after the break as Mardenborough fired a low effort into the net from just outside the penalty area.
However, Belper completed the scoring on 84 minutes when Bastos saw his free-kick from 25-yards out squirm beyond Woods.
Rugby are next in action against Sutton Coldfield Town on Saturday, February 14 with kick-off at 3pm at Butlin Road.
