lineup

dean thomas

gary moran

jamie williams

adam hart

andy commander

gary redgate

steve evans

craig dutton

robbie beard

justin marsden

rory squire

subs used

jon douglas

Chippenham Town provided stiff opposition for Rugby and after surviving a first half rout, Valley managed to secure respectable point at Hardenhuish Park.

Dobson made no changes to the side which had defeated Grantham in the week, but Rugby were under pressure from the off with the home side immediately getting into the game with plenty of movement and pressure.

The first half was one-way traffic and only a fantastic goalkeeping display from Dean Thomas kept the visitors in the game.

The home side took the lead when Martin Paul found a way past Thomas with a header, after Ellis Wilmot’s angled cross.

Sam Allison was the first of the Chippenham players to be denied with Thomas pulling off a top drawer save before one of the saves of the season was witnessed.  Scott Walker’s free-kick seemed destined for the very top corner to double the home sides lead, but Thomas made an unbelievable stop to claw the ball away and keep Rugby in the game.

With their first real attack just two minutes before half time, Rugby equalised, when Rory Squire converted his second goal of the season from inside the area following a corner.

The game was invigorating and an end-to-end affair by the second half and Rugby certainly stepped up a gear kicking downhill.

However, Adam Hart had to be alert to divert a dangerous cross from Thorne before at the other end, Jamie Williams really should have given the visitors the lead.  Justin Marsden managed to flick the ball down the left for Williams, who had a clear run at goal from the left but his shot was matched by a good save by Hervin.

For the next ten minutes, Chippenham pressed for a lead with plenty of crosses and corners which eventually amounted to very little until a corner led to a looping header by captain Thorne which found its way to Paul who could only just head it over Thomas’ bar.

A long ball then caught out the Rugby defence and Wilmot nearly made the most of it as he allowed the ball to drop before letting loose with a rasping volley, which ended up clipping the top of the bar.

Robbie Beard then made a break down the right with a strong run and cut the ball dangerously back to force a good clearance before Rugby had another golden opportunity.  Marsden made a superb run on the right and delivered a curling cross which was met by Williams, whose header found its way to Steve Evans on the back post, who could only hit the side netting from all of one yard.

It was a good spell of pressure for Rugby, and Marsden turned well in the area and forced another good save from Hervin before a Williams free-kick provided a fantastic opportunity for Rugby to lead.  Mayhem in the Chippenham defence after some defensive substitutions led to three Rugby players being left completely unmarked at the far post in an onside position after Williams’ free-kick, but Dutton headed the ball first time and the ball trickled onto the post and away.

A moment of madness in the Rugby defence nearly allowed Chippenham an easy winner, as a long ball was not dealt with and Thomas came out but failed to claim the ball outside his area and appeared to clash with Paul, but the half-hearted claims for a penalty were ignored as Hart got back to clear the ball away from the empty net.

Thomas redeemed himself though and added to his superb performance minutes later as he dived to scramble the ball away after Allison had headed the ball destined for the top corner and Squire was on hand to clear the ball and then on the break, Marsden ran from deep shrugging off challenges on the way, culminating in a low shot which forced another good save from Hervin down to his left.

In the dying seconds, Chippenham nearly snatched all three points when Kirk found a way through the Rugby defence, but his audacious lob landed thankfully on the roof of th