|
Dr
Martens Western Division
Saturday,
27th March 2004
Attendance
| 249
Rugby
United |
1 |
0 |
Mangotsfield
United |
|
Marsden
36 |
|
- |
| Match
Entertainment |
 |
| Match
Summary |
Straight-forward
win |
Video
Clips | you will
require the latest version of QuickTime player which
you can download here
Action
from the second half against the Mangos
Robbie
Beard fires just over the bar in the last ten minutes
Beard
cuts inside before shooting over
A
cross from Beard goes agonizingly too high
Star
Man | Andy Commander |
There
were fine performance from most players, including
Pearcey, Beard, Marsden and Rutherford but Andy
Commander was immense at the back for Rugby in
the air and in the tackle. |
Rugby
made no changes from the 1-0 reversal at Taunton Town
the week before with Craig Herbert, Nathan Thompson,
Gary Redgate, Danny Hall and Neil Melvin, who all played
in the corresponding fixture last season, watching from
the sidelines through injury.
The
game started slowly in bleak conditions and took eight
minutes for the first piece of action to be carved out
with Justin Marsden's cross going slightly to high for
the stretching Robbie Beard. Five minutes later,
Beard shot wide of the goal after Williams had set him
up and Craig Dutton tested Danny Greaves from twenty
yards.
It
was all Rugby, and Mangotsfield were barely making it
into Valley's half, as Marsden flashed a shot wide of
the visitors goal after 24 minutes before a minute later,
Michael Hegarty took a poor touch in the box as it opened
up for him after Beard had flicked the ball through.
Beard
and Marsden took to be linking up well and the latter
had a shot deflected into Greaves' hands, and then saw
a 12-yard header go past the post after Hegarty's freekick
on 33 minutes.
The
deadlock was then broken three minutes later from another
Hegarty free-kick. The ball was lofted towards
the back post for Andy Commander to rise and head back
across the goal into the path of Justin Marsden,
who stretched to poke the ball into the net.
Rugby
should have doubled their lead minutes later after a
powerful run by Jamie Williams provided Marsden with
a clear run on goal, but he fired his shot disappointingly
over the bar from a good position.
Mangotsfield
created their first chance of the half with just three
minutes until half time from a deep freekick, but Gary
Kemp could only direct his header wide of the target
and just before the break Andy Rutherford made an ambitious
run before testing the goalkeeper with a low effort.
Rugby
started the second half as they finished the first and
Craig Dutton headed over the bar from a Williams freekick,
and then Marsden should have doubled his and Rugby's
tally after Commander had released him, but again he
could not finish.
Dutton
shot wide once more after Marsden had worked an opening
while Jason Pearcey was on hand to save from Kemp after
another freekick and then saw Mangotsfield full back
Mark Summers shoot just over with a powerful effort
from thirty yards.
With
ten minutes remaining, Rugby were still looking comfortable
and Beard cut in from the left flank before sending
the ball just over the angle.
Mangotsfield
almost got an equaliser with five minutes to go, but
Gareth Loydon could only direct the ball across the
face of goal from another deep freekick.
Rugby
United | Pearcey, Moran, Williams, Hart, Commander,
Rutherford, Squire, Dutton, Beard, Marsden, Hegarty
(Kattos) Subs | Thomas, Pearson,
Shanahan, Douglas
Bookings
|
Marsden |
