|
Dr
Martens Western Division
Thursday,
1st January 2004
Attendance
| 505
Rugby
United |
4 |
1 |
Bedworth
United |
|
Marsden
21
Dutton
45
Squire
48
Beard
88 |
|
Moore 30 |
| Match
Entertainment |
 |
| Match
Summary |
Comfortable
victory...by the end |
Star
Man | Robbie Beard |
There
were no real outstanding performances today, but
how can you stop Beardy? His pace and skill
visibly frightened the Bedworth defence, as he
created the first goal and scored another outstanding
goal. |
After
the disappointment against Solihull Borough, Dobson
made two changes to the side, with Jamie Williams replacing
Dave Pearson to take a place in midfield alongside Rory
Squire and Craig Dutton, while Andy Commander returned
from suspension to replace young Cypriot Andreas Kattos.
Rugby
started well in front of a season's best crowd of 505
including a commendable following from the visitors,
and Robbie Beard threatened early on.
After
5 minutes, Justin Marsden's persistence allowed Jamie
Williams a chance, but goalkeeper Gary Hateley made
a smart save to his right as the Rugby midfielder tried
to slide home.
Valley
continued to press, and eventually got the breakthrough,
as Beard showed fantastic footwork, pace and strength
to weave through two challenges before looping a measured
cross to the unmarked Justin Marsden who fired
home on the volley at the near post.
However,
after this goal, Bedworth began to come into the game
and they had Rugby on the backfoot for the remainder
of the half. Guy Hadland saw his shot fly over
the bar, while Martin Crowley's shot had a similar fate
soon afterwards from a Hadland freekick.
After
some constant pressure, the Greenbacks got back into
the game, when Hadley's expertly-taken freekick gave
19 year old ex-Coventry City youth player Lee Moore
the easy task of finishing from six yards.
That
wasn't the end of the visitors attacking wave.
After Marsden had fired over after a move from the kick-off,
Bedworth forced more corners and free-kicks. However,
it was a simple long pass from the back that found player-manager
Mark Hallam who somehow outpaced the Rugby defence.
But the big striker's finish was poor when he was one-on-one
with Pearcey who saved at his feet.
It
proved to be the only real clear-cut chance that the
visitors carved out until the end of the game, but they
still had Rugby stuck inside their own half. However,
against the run of play, Valley re-took the lead with
a stroke of good luck, as Craig Dutton mis-kicked
beyond Hateley to take a very fortunate 2-1 win into
the break.
This
seamed to knock the stuffing out of the visitors in
the second half, as Rugby United picked it up a notch
to seal the game. Rory Squire's glancing
header from Jamie Williams' corner effectively ended
the game as Bedworth posed little in the second half.
Frustration
crept into the Greenback's game as several sliding challenges
were punished with bookings, as they failed to cope
with Marsden and Beard.
Valley
saw numerous chances flash past the upright, with Marsden
being at the centre of most of them. However,
it was Beard who once again delighted the fans with
a fabulous goal. With Williams and Marsden making
free runs towards the goal, Robbie Beard typically
ignored the movement before taking the ball from the
halfway line before unleashing a 30-yarder which sailed
in off the crossbar.
Bedworth's
only other chance was from an indirect freekick after
Pearcey picked up after a back-pass, but after
setting up the chance for about 2 minutes, Hallam struck
the ball straight into the first man from 8 yards.
The
pick of Valley's shots was Marsden's fierce drive from
the edge of the area, which whistled past the angle.
The
scoreline was a little harsh on Bedworth as they controlled
the midfield in the first half, but in the end it could
have been six or seven for Valley.
Rugby
United | Pearcey, Moran, Thompson, Hart, Rutherford
(Kattos), Commander, Squire, Dutton, Beard (Charley),
Marsden, Williams Subs | Thomas (gk), Pearson,
Shanahan
Bookings
|
Commander, Dutton. |
