Valley title hopes are left in the dark as clash at MK Irish is abandoned

Town had been looking to peg back Coventry Sphinx’s lead to a single point again ahead of the final series of fixtures this coming weekend.

But with the match still goalless, the Manor Fields ground’s lights went out in the 21st minute - never to fully return.

Valley had given themselves an improbable chance of finishing top of the division with last Thursday’s 2-0 victory at Godmanchester Rovers and Saturday's 4-3 home success over Eynesbury Rovers.

However, Sphinx then restored their four-point cushion with a Godmanchester win of their own on Saturday evening, meaning Rugby needed maximum points from their remaining two games in the hope that their rivals slipped up in their final game at home to Eynesbury.

Town now know they will round off their season with the re-arranged trip to Milton Keynes next Tuesday night, with their final home outing of the season set for Saturday when fourth-placed Wellingborough Town are due to visit Butlin Road.

Thursday’s win over Godmanchester had come courtesy of a brace from Caine Elliott, with the midfielder opening the scoring on just four minutes when he neatly finished a Tom Fielding cross, before he added a second from the spot in the final minute of normal time after Michael Taylor had been fouled in the box.

Taylor’s strike from a tight angle broke the deadlock for Valley on Saturday, before Eymesbury’s Victor Osubu levelled things up shortly after.

Jordan Wilson restored the lead only to see Osubu equalise again ahead of the interval, but Liam Francis’ header and Loyiso Recci's volley made it 4-2, although Rugby did concede again with eight minutes remaining when Ben Farrell struck to set up a tense ending to the game.

Assuming Town’s pursuit of the top spot does not come to fruition, Town will face a winner-takes-all promotion shoot-out on April 29 against a geographically-proximate third or fourth bottom placed team from the level above them. The play-off game would be played at the higher level team’s ground.

But Rugby’s injury problems are continuing to mount after Edwin Ahenkorah limped off early against Eynesbury with Fielding doing likewise at Godmanchester.