Saturday 24 February 2007

Attendance | 157

In an incident packed game, there were also two penalty misses and a sending-off for Rugby's Aaron Stringfellow - who co-incidentally was also dismissed in that first game of the season between the two clubs in January.

Rugby once more can count themselves unlucky to return empty handed from their travels - after outperforming their hosts for large periods of the game - but the numerical disadvantage eventually took its toll, alongside the inspired form of Centurions' keeper Kevin Sawyer.

Cirencester goals in the 65th and 81st minute condemned Valley to a 7th straight away league defeat, after top scorer Jason Taylor had equalised Matt Jones's opener for the home side.

The visitors had started brightly with Danny Hall's long range effort blocked, Sawyer pulling off a smart near post save from David Stone and Taylor only just unable to get on the end of Stone's clever flick on into the box - all coming in the game's opening quarter of an hour.

The home fans had to wait until the 30th minute for their first shot, with Lee Smith sending his 30 yard effort over the bar. Two minutes later the deadlock was broken when the impressive Matt Jones seized upon a miscued defensive clearance from Hall and curled his shot home from outside of the penalty area.

Sawyer was again in impressive form shortly after turning Willis Francis's low drive round the post.

Two minutes before half-time, the Valley were reduced to ten men when Aaron Stringfellow was adjudged to have deliberately handled on the line, but Farhad Afandiyev then pulled off his first penalty save of the season beating out Smith's effort to his left to keep the lead to a minimum.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Rugby again started the new half the better. On 57 minutes, Stone and Jason Taylor again combined well, with latter finishing off the move in style by powering the ball into the far corner of the net for the equaliser.

The Valley continued to push forward, and Matt Gearing only just failed to take advantage of another break down the channels from Stone. Cirencester then immediately countered and regained the advantage, when substitute Phil Hall headed home a looping cross.

On 75 minutes another Stone-Taylor link-up saw the ball stick cruelly in the mud, before Taylor had the opportunity to get his shot in, and then in the next attacking play, the referee awarded the second penalty of the game - again for handball, this time from Gearing's strike.

Gearing took the penalty himself, but for the second successive game, Rugby's supporters saw their team's spot-kick saved, with the experienced Sawyer throwing himself down to the right to deny the young winger.

The penalty miss sucked the life out of now-tired Town side, and Cirencester's Liam Horsted forced Afandiyev into a fine save, before the same player crossed well for Marc Richards to head home a third goal from close range to finish the game off.

Report by Jon Venner.

Rugby Lineup:

	Farhad Afandiyev
	Ross Harris
	Chris Tullin
	Craig Herbert (c)
	Delroy Gordon
	Danny Hall
	Matt Gearing
	Willis Francis Booked
	Jason Taylor Scored 1
	DAVID STONE Star Man
	Aaron Stringfellow Sent Off

Used Substitutes

	David Kolodynski
	Scott Wells