Rugby Town 1-0 Merthyr Tydfil

Southern League Premier Division

Saturday, 26th November 2005

Attendance | 295

Photo Gallery | David Stone nets the winner with minutes to go

A late strike from leading scorer David Stone secured Town three points after a battling performance against a strong Merthyr side at a wintry Butlin Road on Saturday.

Boss Billy Jeffrey had the luxury of being able to name an unchanged side for the third time in succession and whilst his team started reasonably confidently, it was the Welsh visitors that looked more threatening in advance positions - with the dangerous Craig Steins testing Farhad Afandiyev on three separate occasions in the first 25 minutes of the game.  Afandiyev stood firm in the face of the ex Leeds United forward's best efforts, though his strike partner Gary Shepherd should have done better when he latched onto an Afandiyev parry from Steins' first shot on goal.

With an over-officious referee continually breaking the flow of the game for both sides, Steve Evans delivered a number of dangerous looking crosses into the Merthyr box - but each time they failed to produce a serious effort on target.  Rugby 's best chance of the half fell to Kevin Slinn on 29 minutes, but he blasted his shot over the bar after he had been cleverly released by Stone.

Shepherd squandered another opportunity for Merthyr on 37 minutes when he smashed his volley high into the trees behind the goal when the ball had dropped invitingly for him inside the Rugby penalty box.

The second half started pretty much as the first had ended, with the Rugby midfield - and Willis Francis in particular - scrapping for every loose ball and both sides canceling each other in advanced positions.  Afandiyev acrobatically tipped over a cross-cum-shot from Paul Keddle on 57 minutes, injuring his knee in the process, and then shortly after, when was he beaten by a powerful shot from Shepherd, the ball clipped the top of the cross bar instead.

On 62 minutes Delroy Gordon beat Merthyr keeper Ashley Morris to a searching long ball to the left hand edge of the penalty area, but his cut back across the box couldn't find a Town forward and the ball was cleared.

Merthyr threw down the gauntlet with the introduction of an extra striker Jason Welsh on 72 minutes, and Jeffrey re-organised his back-line to combat the threat reverting to a 4-4-2 formation with Gordon tucking in at right full-back.  The changes though seem to provide more space for the Valley in attack, and on 79 minutes a slip on the ball by the until that point very impressive Merthyr sweeper Adrian Needs allowed David Stone a clear run at goal, and the Daventry youngster coolly slid the ball past a helpless Morris to give Rugby the lead.

The introduction of another striker heaped further pressure on the Rugby defence and Welsh headed over from a Keddle cross, when he really should have found the back of the net.

In the closing moments of the game Rugby had two good opportunities to extend their lead.  First Stone was narrowly beaten to a ball over the top of the Merthyr defence by keeper Morris, and then in a well-worked move involving Stone and Chris Tullin, substitute Danny Williams was unable to connect properly with the final ball.

* The Butlin Road crowd impeccably observed a minute's silence in tribute to George Best before the game, and the entire club would acknowledge the contribution of this great player to the game of football.