Valley are knocked off top spot as Sphinx take charge in race for the title

Town's stuttering form of late had continued at the weekend when they lost by a solitary goal to another of the division's promotion candidates Newport Pagnell Town, whilst at the same time Sphinx were setting up their assault on the summit by once more coming from behind against Histon.

Saturday's 1-0 reverse means Valley have only managed to gather five points from the last 15 available to them and as a consequence surrendered the top spot they had eased into in early October.

The Pagnell defeat came from a tight affair in front of another 400-plus Butlin Road crowd, with the game's decisive moment coming on 56 minutes after Town defender Keenah Rosser had brought down Jake Watkinson in the box.

Albie Hall confidently beat Matt Hill from the resulting penalty and there was no way through the resolute Swans' defence thereafter, with Rugby having already created their best chance of the game in the first half when Jordan Wilson's header to a Tom Fielding whipped cross bounced back off the inside of the post.

Town's hopes of overturning the single-point advantage now enjoyed by Coventry rest on the two clubs' final five league fixtures, with Valley kicking off their quintet with Saturday's away game at fifth-placed Milton Keynes Irish, with the new leaders also facing a tricky trip of their own when they visit March Town United.

Rugby are in action next Tuesday evening too when they travel to Godmanchester Rovers, where they will be without their all-time record scorer David Kolodynski as he starts a three-match absence, although Town boss Carl Adams is hopeful of a return from injury for Alex Lock after the midfielder sat out the entire month of March.

Newport still hover dangerously in fourth place – 12points behind Town but with three games in hand over them – although the Buckinghamshire outfit are otherwise engaged this weekend as they continue their efforts to secure a second successive FA Vase triumph with a semi-final tie at Congleton.