| Rugby
Town 0-0 Hitchin Town |
| BGB
Premier Division |
Saturday
3 March 2007
Attendance
| 231
|
Entertainment |
|
 |
 |
Aaron
Stringfellow spurned a last minute chance
to take all three points when clean through
on the goalkeeper |
The
Valley managed to grind out a point from a game
which for the most part lacked quality and urgency,
with both Town sides on show clearly low on confidence.
The
second half had been a modest improvement on a
decidedly disappointing first, until it sparked
into life in the final twenty minutes of the match,
when both sides squandered gilt-edged opportunities
to snatch the victory.
In that period, substitute David Kolodynski twice
saw his one-on-one efforts blocked by ex-Rugby
goalkeeper Robert Beckwith and Aaron Stringfellow
also had his shot saved by Beckwith after Willis
Francis had released him down the middle of the
Hitchin defence.
At the other end Chris Dillon somehow failed to
hit the target from his close range header after
Paul Scanlon's cross had picked the unmarked Canaries'
top scorer at the far post and Daniel French's
shot from the edge of the box flew just wide.
The first half had been a somewhat uneventful
affair. For the visitors, Gavin Jaggard had a
couple of early shots on target though - the first
of which was comfortably dealt with by Valley
keeper Farhad Afandiyev and the second blocked
in the goalmouth by Francis.
Rugby's best chance had seen Beckwith turn David
Stone's 20 yarder around the post, and then after
a rare cohesive attacking moment between Stone,
Stringfellow and Chris Tullin, the final cross
was just too high for Jason Taylor.
Hitchin's Scott Orphanon touched a long upfield
clearance narrowly wide of the post, before the
referee provided a welcome break from the proceedings
with the half time whistle.
Kolodynski replaced the concussed Taylor at the
start of the second period, but along with his
strike partner Stone, was initially more often
than not frustrated by the opposition's well organised
defence and the vigilance of the linesman.
The best of the chances created in the opening
part of the half sae Ross Harris's wild left footed
effort fail to trouble Beckwith after Stone's
back heel had found him in space, and Afandiyev
getting down well to cut out a dangerous Carl
Williams' cross.
In addition to the late chances for Kolodynski
and Stringfellow, Matt Gearing also had a dangerous
shot blocked and substitute Akinwale Aladetoun
almost made a dream start to his Valley career
after he had shown good pace in only his first
minute on the pitch. Unfortunately the Coventry
University student was unable to get a telling
shot on goal after the ball had fallen to him
in the penalty area from Kolodynski's cross.
Report
by Jon Venner.
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