| Dr
Martens League
Western Division
Rugby
United 1
Clevedon Town 1
Rugby United stay second in the DMWL, after coming from
behind in a hard fought draw against fourth place Clevedon
Town on Saturday at Butlin Road. Following a disappointing
first half, where both sides failed to impress, a double
substitution at half time by United boss Tony Dobson
saw the home team emerge with renewed verve and vigor,
and Rugby will count themselves unlucky not to win the
game.
Whilst obviously relieved to see Robbie Beard cancel
out Clevedon substitute Shane Hobbs opening goal, Dobson
reflected on the game as two points dropped, he said,
"I thought we had enough possession and pressure,
and created enough chances to have nicked it. Having
said that, to get anything out of the game when you're
one down with ten minutes to go must also be seen as
a bonus."
The first minute of the game saw referee Amy Rayner
make an early mark on proceedings when she booked Beard
for a late challenge on Town defender Rob Scott. There
was little to entertain the crowd in terms of footballing
action though, with the game scrappy, and the exchanges
typically tense and tight. Long ball football seemed
to be the order of the half, though the United central
defensive trio of Adam Hart, Andy Commander and Gary
Redgate rarely seemed in trouble from the aerial bombardment
they faced.
United's best chance of the half fell to right wing-back
Gary Moran on 30 minutes, when after good work by both
Dave Pearson and Craig Dutton, he unfortunately delayed
his shot at the far post long enough to allow Weaver
to get himself in position to make a fine diving save.
A header from Andrews at the other end represented
Clevedon's best opportunity, and with the final kick
of the half Pearson broke through the Clevedon defence,
only to see the keeper make another good save from his
low shot.
Dobson introduced Jamie Williams and Rory Squire into
his midfield for the start of the second half, and there
was an immediate transformation in United's game. Williams
seemed to be at the heart of most of their attacking
play, and early in the half he linked well with Moran
to release Pearson, who unfortunately slipped before
he could release a shot.
United continued to control the game with some neat
passing football, and created a number of clear cut
opportunities. Beard hit the side netting on 59
minutes with the keeper beaten, and ten minutes later
another Beard shot brought a diving save from Weaver.
A Squire near post header from a Nathan Thompson
corner flashed just inches wide of the post.
On 75 minutes, and against the run of play, Clevedon
full-back Steve Lester found substitute Shane Hobbs
on the edge of the penalty area. Hobbs then cleverly
jinked past two United defenders, and coolly slotted
the ball past Dean Thomas, who had been a virtual spectator
for most of the game previous to this.
United responded well to this blow however, and raised
their game once more. Dobson's bold introduction
of young striker Danny Nelson for Moran also intensified
the pressure. A Weaver double save - first from
Pearson and then from a prostrate position for the follow-up
by Craig Dutton, was quickly followed by a Beard goal
disallowed for offside, after the United striker had
pounced on a rare goalkeeping error.
Fortunately the equaliser did follow shortly after on
79 minutes, when Beard curled his shot from the
edge of the box past the left hand of the keeper.
Both sides had opportunities at the death to clinch
the game. Clevedon's Price blazed wide from only
a few yards out, when he really should have done better,
and in injury time, latching onto a superb defensive
pass from the confident Nelson, Beard's touch this time
let him down and allowed the keeper to block his shot.
Explaining his team selection and rationale for the
double substitution Dobson said, "I thought I owed
it to the team who played so well at Evesham in the
week to start with the same line-up here. At half-time
we decided that we just weren't getting enough from
the lads, and we needed to shake things up a little.
Rory gives us that extra bit of height and strength
in tackle, and Jamie gave the side more balance. It
worked in the sense that we definitely upped the tempo,
but ultimately unfortunately it didn't give us the result
we would have loved."
Rugby United :
Thomas, Moran (Nelson 78), Thompson, Hart, Commander,
Redgate, Shanahan (Williams 45), Dutton, Beard, Pearson,
Hegarty (Squire 45)
Subs not used : Shepherd, Herbert
Goal : Beard 79
Booking : Beard 1
Clevedon Town :
Weaver, Arndale, Lester, Price, Scott, Andrews, Vickerman
(Fey 84), Zabek, Weisberg, Appleton (Hobbs 52), Richards
(Smith 77)
Sub not used : Hillier
Goal : Hobbs 75
Ref : Ms. A.Rayner (Loughborough)
Attendance : 287
Raffle : £40, not claimed - prize rolled over to Hinckley
game
Rugby United Supporters Man of the Match : Craig
Dutton
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