RUGBY Town failed to ease their relegation fears after seeing a late penalty saved in a 2-2 draw away at bottom side St Neots Town.
Valley fell behind to Rhys Thorpe’s goal only for Jamal Adams and Sam Tye to turn the game in the away side’s favour at Kester Way.
However, Robbie Parker scored a penalty just past the hour mark to restore parity in a result which does little to help either side in the battle to avoid relegation.
Valley spurned a golden chance to take the points late on as Caine Elliott saw his late penalty saved by St Neots goalkeeper James Goff.
The result means Rugby remain 21st in the Northern Premier League Midlands relegation zone, three points from safety.
Basement club St Neots broke the deadlock on 22 minutes when Thorpe headed in Sam Willis’s deep cross from the right from inside the six-yard box.
However, the visitors drew level seven minutes later as Adams reacted quickest after Goff could only parry Trey Charles’ initial effort from the edge of the penalty area.
And Valley completed the turnaround one minute before half time when Tye powered a header into the net from seven-yards out from Teddy Rowe’s cross.
St Neots equalised on 63 minutes as Parker scored from the penalty spot after the referee penalised Nathan Kabeya for a challenge on Harvey Williams in the box.
However, Rugby won a penalty of their own 10 minutes later as Charlie Bowen upended Kobi Bivens in the area and the referee pointed to the spot.
But Elliott saw his penalty saved by Goff as Valley ended their five-game losing run but missed the chance to earn just a second victory since the turn of the year.
Rugby are next in action against AFC Rushden and Diamonds on Saturday, March 7 with kick-off at 3pm at Butlin Road.
