|
Dr
Martens Western Division
Tuesday,
27th January 2004
Attendance
| 189
Rugby
United |
2 |
2 |
Yate
Town |
|
Beard
19, 64 |
|
Wyatt
51
Rawlins
90 |
| Match
Entertainment |
 |
| Match
Summary |
A better
performance but still worryingly nervous at home |
Star
Man | Adam Hart |
Hasn't
quite performed as he did last season so far,
but did look like he was getting back to his best.
Couldn't be blamed for either goal as it was poor
team defending. |
Rugby
made one enforced change from the goalless draw at Sutton
Coldfield, with Craig Dutton, returning from suspension,
replacing Rory Squire, who could not make the starting
line-up due to his college studies.
On
an immaculate Butlin Road pitch, Rugby started well,
with Robbie Beard threatening early on - forcing a save
from Yate keeper Tony Court with a powerful header from
Gary Moran's right-wing cross.
United
were well on top in the first half and should have taken
the lead when Beard fed Justin Marsden who broke the
offside trap and cut in from the left, but despite turning
inside the defender, he shot wildly across the face
of the goal from eight yards.
Rugby
did get the breakthrough on 19 minutes, as Marsden fed
Craig Dutton, who delivered a superb cross onto the
head of Robbie Beard who found the corner of
the net.
Yate's
only chance of the first half chance came soon after
the goal when Mike Wyatt found room on the right hand
side, but his effort was weak when he should really
have found the back of the net.
Marsden
put his trickery to work as he beat two defenders comfortably,
but his lack of confidence showed as he played an early
ball to the unmarked Beard, who was forced to take a
touch and then drag his effort agonisingly wide.
The
home side could have been three or four up by this point,
and just before half-time, Valley had yet another chance
to extend their lead, as Beard ran down the right before
finding Marsden, who from inside the six yard box could
only shoot at Court after turning his defender.
Yate
came out for the second half with a little more purpose,
and Rugby failed to string two passes together.
The visitors pressure paid off six minutes into the
half, when Gary Powell was allowed too much room after
a poor clearance and he crossed for Mike Wyatt to
nod home via the far post.
The
goal kicked Rugby back into gear and they began to have
more attacking possession once more with Beard and Justin
being up-ended on several occasions. On one of
the occasions when Marsden was brought down just outside
the box, Rugby capitalised through the right-boot of
Robbie Beard who curled home his 17th goal of
the season.
Again,
Valley took their foot off the pedal as they seemed
happy to hang onto a slender lead at home when they
might have been better really pushing on to find a cushioning
goal.
Once
more Marsden had a golden opportunity when he was fed
by a beautiful pass from Beard, but his close-range
effort was inadvertently blocked by defender Phil Ward
as the ball headed for the far corner.
As
the clock ticked, the ever-familiar nervousness crept
in after chances were missed, and Rugby were exposed
with seven minutes remaining, but escaped as Tony Bennett's
shot was deflected marginally wide of Pearcey's upright.
The
inevitable came in the final minute, after a questionable
offside decision. Yate pumped the ball up field
and with no real threat, Jamie Williams failed to clear
the ball and Andy Rutherford was forced to head the
ball for a corner to stop a certain goal. From
the corner, Rugby failed to clear the ball properly
twice and the ball deflected out to Chris Rawlins
who fired home through a rook of players into the
net.
Rugby
United | Pearcey, Moran, Thompson (Squire), Hart,
Herbert, Rutherford, Hegarty, Dutton, Beard, Marsden,
Williams (Pearson) Subs | Pearson,
Kattos, Charley
Bookings
|
Rutherford |
