| Rugby
Town 3-0 Corby Town |
| BGB
Premier Division |
Tuesday
26th December 2006
Attendance
| 307
|
Entertainment |
|
 |
 |
Midfielder
Andrew Rigby battles with ex-Valley player
Rob Maddox |
The
Valley ended a run of four games without a victory
with a 3-0 win over local rivals Corby Town at
Butlin Road on Boxing Day.
The
success lifted them back into the top half of
the table once more, and also saw them record
their first clean sheet since the 1-0 home victory
over Team Bath on September 2nd.
Billy
Jeffrey made two changes from the side defeated
against the student team last Saturday, giving
a third league start of the season to Andy Commander
at left-back and recalling Willis Francis after
suspension. Ross Harris and Aaron Stringfellow
were both relegated to the bench, with Chris Tullin
operating on his preferred right hand side.
The
game was won in the final twelve minutes with
a double strike from Jason Taylor and a stoppage
time clincher from David Stone securing the points.
The
first half saw few goalscoring opportunities for
either side. Corby's chief threat was Kevin Byrne,
and Rugby keeper Farhad Afandiyev pulled off a
couple of fine saves to deny Byrne on 21 and 33
minutes respectively.
Afandiyev
also had to be alert when diving bravely at the
feet of former Valley player Avun Jephcott - one
of four former Rugby players in the visitors'
squad.
Rugby
had again looked most dangerous from set-pieces,
with both Danny Hall and Matt Gearing causing
problems for Corby keeper Darren Watts from corners
and free-kicks lofted into the box.
Craig
Herbert almost benefited from one such moment
of indecision from Watts, but he was unable to
get the necessary power behind his shot, and in
another goalmouth scramble from a corner, Delroy
Gordon was also just unable to apply a finishing
touch.
In
the closing minutes of the first half, Gearing
showed exceptional pace down the left and his
pull-back only just failed to find Andrew Rigby
near the penalty spot.
The
second half began with a rasping long range effort
from Francis, which Watts could only parry, and
then at the other end Afandiyev pulled off the
save of the match - diving full length to keep
out Byrne's shot - after a neat one-two with Jephcott.
Rugby
had started to take a more direct route to their
attacking play, which started to pay dividends
- with the pace of Stone and Gearing coming to
the fore.
A
long ball from Herbert over the top of the Corby
defence almost put Stone through, but unfortunately
his first touch let him down on this occasion.
Gearing and Stone then combined well, with the
latter's cheeky back-heel freeing Gearing in the
box, but his goal-bound shot was blocked.
Chances
for Rugby continued to come, with Stringfellow
only just unable to get a shot in from close range
and shortly after with the Corby keeper beaten,
a weak effort from Gearing was cleared by a defender.
The
breakthrough predictably came from another moment
of hesitancy from Watts following a Rugby corner
on 78 minutes. As the ball bobbled across the
Corby goalmouth, Jason
Taylor was on-hand to poke home.
Jason
Taylor doubled the advantage with
just a minute left of normal play, when he coolly
finished off a fine run down the right from Stone
for his 14th goal of the season, and then two
minutes later the roles were reversed when he
turned provider for his strike partner David
Stone - who applied an equally
calm finish to round of the scoring.
Links
>> Around
the League: Corby Town
>>
Previous
Meetings: Rugby v Corby
>> Official
Corby Town Website
|
