lineup

Jason Pearcey

Gary Moran

Andy Commander

Adam Hart

Craig Herbert

Gary Redgate

Jamie Williams

Craig Dutton

Robbie Beard

Justin Marsden

Steve Evans

subs used

none

Valley picked up a useful point away at the Corinium Stadium against Cirencester Town after falling behind to a first half penalty.

Dobson kept an unchanged line-up to the side that just lost out to Hednesford in the week, and the game started tentatively.

The first half chance came to the home side as the ball fell to Adam Mayo on the edge of the area but his effort was deflected wide by the legs of teammate Scott Griffin.

Rugby's first real break came after ten minutes from Jason Pearcey's throw-out as Justin Marsden broke from the right wing and looped in a cross to the back post but Robbie Beard's volley scuffed into Paul Thompson's hands.

The visitors almost got a stroke of luck from Jamie Williams' whipped cross as Gary Wooton inadvertently headed the ball towards goal and forced a superb save from Thompson who tipped the ball onto the bar.

Ex-Gloucester City midfielder Adam Hemmings was proving to be a problem down the left-hand side and after he turned inside Gary Moran, he crossed the ball across the six-yard line but neither Jody Bevan or Mike Davis could get a head to the ball.

After twenty-six minutes, Cirencester got the break-through as the Rugby defence was caught square with a simple long ball and Craig Herbert and Adam Hart were caught the wrong side of Bevan who got through and was clipped down unintentionally by Hart in the area, and the referee had no hesitation in awarding the penalty. Captain Darren Robison had no problem in tucking the penalty away, sending Pearcey the wrong way.

After the goal, Rugby seemed to lose any rhythm they had built up, and failed to make any impact on the hosts' defence. Cirencester had some pressure with a few corners without ever really troubling Pearcey before Rugby got back into the game completely unexpectedly.

The ball broke in midfield to Steve Evans on the half-way line, and the former Hednesford man took the ball forward before unleashing an unstoppable drive from thirty yards into the roof of the net for his second goal of the season.

Griffin could have regained the advantage for the Centurions just before half time as Rugby defended lazily and allowed the ex-Cinderford forward to turn on the edge of the area, but he could only direct his effort straight at Pearcey.

In stoppage time of the first half, Marsden released Beard with a raking diagonal ball, but after Rugby's number nine had chested the ball into his path, Ciren keeper Paul Thompson matched Beard's effort with a good save with his legs. 

The game had come to life in the closing stages of the half and both sides still had time for good chances. From a corner, Marsden somehow only poked wide after a goalmouth scramble, while Bevan saw his rangey effort acrobatically tipped over the bar by Pearcey.

The sides did not come out for the second half with quite the same excitement, although it did not take long for Williams to register an attempt with a vicious shot from outside the area which was well held by Thompson.

Following a corner, Bevan just missed a header at the far post, while Davis was allowed too much room on the edge of the area and fortunately for the vistitors, his effort went just over the bar.

Cirencester were certainly now getting on top, and Hemming once again flashed a ball across the box which threatened to end up in the top corner while at the other end, on the break, a Beard run culminated in an effort which nestled in the side-netting.

Rugby then had Pearcey to thank again eighteen minutes into the second half when he got a leg to Shaun Wimble's low free-kick, and with fifteen minutes to go, the instrumental Marsden clipped a superb ball in for Beard, but his looping header was easily collected by Thompson.

With five minutes remaining, Hemming repeated his earlier feat by firing the ball across the goal from out wide, but again it flashed wide of the goal.

In stoppage time, the home side almost stole all three points, but defender Michael Jackson failed to show the prowess of a centre forward as his weak effort should easily have found the net from his position, but instead found the hands of Pearcey to ensure a respectable point for United.