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

Jon Douglas

It proved to be another late show from Hednesford Town at Keys Park as they came from behind to send Valley packing out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle.

Without Rory Squire, who was nursing a hip injury, Rugby put it another battling performance in a game which could have gone either way.  Gary Redgate returned to the line-up at centre-back with Andy Commander reverting to wing-back and Jamie Williams moving into midfield.

The home were looking strong on the break, and all of their play was coming through left winger Matt Turner.  He made a break early on cutting in from the left inside Gary Moran, but as he got into the six-yard box he ran the ball out of play.

At the other end, Jamie Williams whipped in a good cross from the left which Robbie Beard could not quite reach and it came to Moran who delivered a ball in for Beard, but he could not get enough power on his header and it did not trouble Ryan Young in the Hednesford goal, who could make an easy save.

Again Turner was proving a nuisance minutes later as he went on another probing run from midfield but again his final product let him down, as he struck well over from the edge of the area.

Rugby came close to taking the lead when a deep freekick was whipped into the box and captain Craig Herbert got a head to the ball, and beat the goalkeeper only to see Lee Barrow on hand to clear the ball off the line.

Another run from Turner ended with a rasping shot which came tantalizingly close for the hosts, while a defensive mix-up allowed Leon McSweeney a run at goal, but Jason Pearcey made a good save low down to his left to deny the striker.

Justin Marsden turned well thirty yards from goal before feeding Beard in the area, but the unbalanced striker could only skew his left footed effort high and wide.

The break through then came after a good move down the right for Rugby.  Moran interchanged with Marsden before the former chipped a ball into the box which Beard flicked on into the danger area and Jamie Williams was on hand to poke the ball into the net past the despairing Young.

Just before the break a dangerous Turner cross was well cut out by Adam Hart, and just after the break a strong McSweeney run down the right culminated in a low, whipped cross which was brilliantly dealt with by Jason Pearcey.

Beard then broke down the right-hand side for the visitors and his cross was a little too close to Young before Beard then turned outside the area before sending in a rangey effort which was well held by Young.

Hednesford threw on the experienced Steve Anthrobus, and his presence seemed to make the Pitmen lose their pattern of play as they continually sent long balls up to the big striker.  A break down the right and cross from Maguire was flicked over the bar by Anthrobus from close range and he also saw a header go well over the bar.

At the other end, Rugby still pressed for a second goal: firstly Craig Dutton sent in a dipping long range shot which ended up just over the bar and substitute Jon Douglas laid the ball off for Williams, but he did not strike his shot cleanly and it trickled past the post.

As on Saturday, Hednesford never really looked like breaking the deadlock, but when Rugby conceded a free-kick forty yards from goal in a wide position with minutes remaining, it looked ominous.  The kick taker somewhat mis-kicked his cross, resulting in a ball which dipped very quickly leaving a badly-positioned Pearcey in no-man's land.  The cross was headed easily over Pearcey and the rest of the Rugby defence and Damien Charie ran in unmarked to make sure the effort found the net.

With Rugby thinking about extra time, the hosts were not finished and another set piece proved to be Valley's undoing.  A superb whipped ball was met by the head of Steve Anthrobus and despite Pearcey getting a hand to the ball, it ended up in the corner of the net.