lineup

Dean Thomas

Gary Moran

Jamie Williams

Adam Hart

Craig Herbert

Gary Redgate

Rory Squire

Craig Dutton

Robbie Beard

Justin Marsden

Steve Evans

subs used

Michael Hegarty

Jon Douglas

Rugby United were largely frustrated by a lowly Team Bath side as valley were held to a goalless draw at Butlin Road this afternoon.

After a two-week break after Valley were knocked out of the FA Cup, Team Bath were the visitors to Butlin Road, and Tony Dobson saw the return of Northern Irish midfielder Michael Hegarty to the first team squad after returning from injury.  Rory Squire made a return to the starting line-up in the centre of midfield and Jamie Williams reverted to left-wing back once again and Dean Thomas deputized for a suspended Jason Pearcey.

The game was a poor one, and the students were certainly not the same ones that had came to Butlin Road last season and taught the hosts a lesson in football.  They lacked the same flowing cohesion, and Rugby had the better chances.

The game also proved to be a tail of Justin Marsden, and unfortunately, a few missed opportunities.  The young striker made a fantastic break after ten minutes and shot narrowly over with a fierce strike from outside the area.

A typical display of determination, persistence and hard work from Robbie Beard nearly paid dividends for United minutes later when he charged down the Bath keeper, but the ball did not quite bounce for Rugby’s diminutive number nine and the ball was cleared.

The university side posed few problems and there was no real instance where Dean Thomas was forced into making a save.  11 cut inside and found the arms of Thomas from 25 yards in an otherwise uneventful half for the visitors.

A whipped Jamie Williams corner was half-cleared and then headed back into the area by Steve Evans and Rory Squire just headed the ball wide before Marsden once again proved to be a thorn in the Bath defence.

The teenager broke clear from the back four and was adjudged to have been brought down by 6 on the edge of the area, and as the last man, the Team Bath defender was given a straight red card.

Rugby still had time to get in one more move before the half was over as Marsden backheeled into the path of Craig Dutton, whose deep cross found the head of a stretching Gary Moran, who could only direct his effort skywards.

The second half was an immensely disappointing affair for the hosts, as they continued to be frustrated, and the ten men edged the half possession wise. 

The visitors’ best spell came 10 minutes into the second half as they pushed forward with limited players looking for a goal.  Some lazy defending almost gifted Team Bath an opener, but eventually Rugby managed to clear the ball away.

8 came closest for Bath when he saw his deflected effort fly inches wide of the top corner and then from the resulting corner, 8 sent a shot just wide of Thomas’ right-hand post.

However, despite playing poorly in the second half, Rugby were left to rue a series of gilt-edged opportunities for what could have been another three points.

The best change came with thirteen minutes to go when Marsden shrugged off his marker in the box, pulled the ball down and then inexplicably from six yards and in the centre of the goal, skewed his effort well wide of the goal.

Just previous to this, Beard made a good break down the left and after he cut the ball back to Williams, his shot was blocked and the ball bounced up for Marsden in space at the back post, but he could not direct his volley on target.

Five minutes from time, Marsden, along with the rest of the home following, thought he had redeemed himself when he again gained a yard on his man but his low drive was brilliantly saved by 1, proving that it was not going to be Rugby’s day.

In the dying seconds, captain Craig Herbert saw his header cleared off the line by a mass of Bath bodies.