lineup

mike payne

gary moran

jamie williams

adam hart

andy commander

gary redgate

danny hall

craig dutton

robbie beard

justin marsden

rory squire

subs used

neil melvin

Both sides left the field with a point after a poor game finished goal-less at the Spencer Stadium.

Played on a frozen pitch, good football and goalmouth action were in short supply as the teams struggled to cope with the slippery conditions. Valley made a positive start with skipper Robbie Beard catching the eye as he used his pace to create two early opportunities with teasing crosses. But, on both occasions the Puritans' skipper - and former Butlin Road favourite - Kieran Sullivan was well placed to snuff out the danger. 

When the home side started to gain some momentum, Rugby goalkeeper Mike Payne found himself juggling with a Tony Potter corner underneath his own crossbar. However, claims from the home side that the ball had crossed the line failed to impress the officials. 

A neat back heel by Jody McKay looked to set up Howard Forinton with a good opportunity until Craig Dutton raced across to flick the ball away to safety at the expense of a corner. Learning from experience, Payne took no chances and pushed Potter's initial flag kick over the bar. 

From the next, Rugby struggled to clear their lines, and it took a well-timed challenge from Danny Hall to deny Potter. Payne came off his line to block from Ollie Stanbridge and after Forinton had forced his way past defender Gary Redgate, his far post cross was headed over the bar by McKay. 

Just before the break Rugby's Gary Moran blocked from Stanbridge. During the second half Beard posed the main threat to the home side. On 51 minutes the ball went over the head of Banbury defender Jason Burnham - briefly a former VS Rugby player - and Beard nipped in behind to flick his effort just wide of the far post. 

The striker followed up by releasing Marsden, who lost his way after a promising run, and cutting the ball back from the by line into the path of Rugby substitute Neil Melvin who was crowded out at the vital moment. 

Payne did well to cleanly gather an awkward snap-shot from George Redknap at the foot of his near post, before Beard worked himself the space for a cross that Marsden headed straight at Banbury goalkeeper Simon Tricker. 

Casual play from Rugby in the 82nd minute allowed Forinton to escape, his run ending abruptly as he went sprawling in the box under a last ditch challenge from defender Adam Hart. The referee, after looking to his assistant for guidance, ignored strong Banbury appeals for a penalty. 

The visitors might have been awarded a penalty of their own when Melvin went down in a tackle from Banbury substitute Matthew Brandish. Marsden's header from a Jamie Williams cross then hit Brandish and deflected wide, before Payne secured Rugby's point with a save at full stretch from Redknap following a cross by Stanbridge.