lineup

mike payne

gary moran

neil melvin

adam hart

andy commander

gary redgate

danny hall

craig dutton

robbie beard

justin marsden

rory squire

subs used

steve evans

On New Year's Day the spoils were shared from a contest that began in swirling wind and rain and finished in the teeth of a howling gale.

Despite the atrocious weather conditions the players tried hard to provide some entertainment for Butlin Road's biggest crowd of the season so far. On chances the game could have swung either way, although over the 90 minutes Hednesford looked more likely to break the deadlock.

The visitors posed an early threat through Andy Bell who crossed low towards the near post. Alert Valley goalkeeper Mike Payne went down in front of Matt Turner to collect safely.

Payne then recovered quickly to gather at the second attempt from Anthony Maguire to frustrate Bell. Sandwiched in between Hednesford defender Grant Beckett made a decisive intervention to prevent Neil Melvin converting a pass from Robbie Beard.

On 34 minutes Rugby escaped when a long throw taken by Mark Branch dropped at the feet of Carl Palmer who swivelled to lash a rising shot against the underside of the crossbar. Palmer was unlucky again when he came from amongst the crowd to glance a header inches wide of the far post from a Lee Williams free kick. On the stroke of half time Payne flew to his left to palm away a curling effort from Turner.

After Payne had saved from Maguire early in the second half, the keeper turned provider by setting up an opportunity for Justin Marsden with a huge clearance that came down on the edge of the Hednesford penalty area.

Only a strong challenge from defender Lee Barrow averted the danger. Beard, out near the left hand touchline, tried his luck from 35 yards following a poor clearance by Hednesford goalkeeper Ryan Young, but his effort drifted wide of the target.

Young stuck out an arm to keep out Danny Hall's corner that was almost swept into the net by the wind. Palmer and Marsden both shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box, before Payne advanced quickly off his line to block superbly at the feet of Bell nine minutes from time.