Rugby Town 0-1 Gloucester City

Southern League Premier Division

Saturday, 10th December 2005

Attendance | 214

Photo Gallery | Kevin Slinn battles for a first half ball

Gloucester City secured their second victory of the season over the Valley with a real 'smash and grab' performance at Butlin Road on Saturday thanks to a goal from striker Luke Corbett midway through the first half.

Rugby dominated possession and territorial advantage for large periods of the game, but were unable to convert that supremacy into goals, and all too often the chances that they did create either were off-target or failed to stretch Matt Bath in the City goal.

Manager Billy Jeffrey made one change from the side victorious at Cheshunt the week before, recalling Danny Williams to his starting line-up in place of the unavailable Michael Hegarty, and saw his side start confidently with some neat and incisive passing football.

However with their first shot of the game, it was Gloucester that broke the deadlock, when Andy Peaks could only help on a Tom Webb corner and the ball fell to Corbett at far post, who struck his volley into the ground and then on into the net despite the efforts of keeper Farhad Afandiyev.

Rugby's best opportunity of the half to bring the scores level came on 41 minutes when defender Craig Herbert sliced the ball wide from close range after Kevin Slinn had flicked on a Tim Wooding corner from the left.

Before that missed Herbert effort, Danny Williams, David Stone, Slinn, Chris Tullin and Delroy Gordon had all had chances to register on the scoresheet, but were unable to do so, with Tullin's shot straight at Bath on 30 minutes the best of those chances after Gordon and Wooding had combined well down the right hand side.

The beginning of the second half followed pretty much the pattern of the first, with Rugby having most of the play but unable to provide the finishing touches to their approach play.  Referee Mellor turned down what looked a good shout for a penalty on 55 minutes, when Stone appeared to be chopped down just inside the box by Lyndon Tomkins.

Jeffrey had pushed Williams into a wider and more advanced role for most of the half, switching to an attacking 3-4-3 formation, and when given the opportunity both he and Stone caused problems when running at their full backs with the ball.

This change inevitably made Rugby more vulnerable to their opponents on the break, and just past the hour mark Corbett could have easily extended the lead when he blazed over when free in the penalty area, and shortly after Daryl Addis and substitute Lee Davis both had gilt-edged opportunities to add to their side's goal tally.

As the game progressed, Rugby became increasingly frustrated with their inability to score and as a result their reliance on deep balls into the box also grew.  The long throw-ins of Matt Green caused panic in the Gloucester defence on a couple of occasions, and a Wooding free-kick on 78 minutes also shaved the top of the crossbar.

Minutes later Slinn was unable to make full contact with a Williams cross, and Gordon's follow-up effort was then blocked.  In stoppage time, Rugby 's afternoon was summed up when Stone's volley from the edge of the area smacked fully off the bar this time, and Mellor's whistle shortly after confirmed a disappointing result.