| Rugby
Town 1-1 Maidenhead United |
| BGB
Premier Division |
Saturday
2nd December 2006
Attendance
| 237
|
Entertainment |
|
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David
Stone fires Rugby into a first half lead against
Maidenhead but it wasn't enough to seal a
win |
The Valley were made to pay for their
lack of a killer touch last Saturday at Butlin
Road, when lowly Maidenhead snatched a 79th minute
equaliser to cancel out David Stone's first half
strike.
The
game summed up Rugby's season to-date with Billy
Jeffrey's side squandering a series of chances
to score the vital goal to finish off the spirited
Magpies at the start of second half.
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Striker
David Stone had a fine game but it wasn't
enough to secure all three points |
Temporary
signing Andrew
Rigby made his debut in place
of the suspended Willis
Francis at the heart of the Town
midfield, and almost made a dream start when in
the 2nd minute of the game he pulled a shot wide
after a penetrative run into the box and a neat
one-two with Matt Gearing.
Goalscoring
opportunities came thick and fast during the first
period, with Adrian Allen volleying wide from
a tight angle for the visitors and Dwane Lee's
well-struck drive drawing a full length save from
Farhad Afandiyev.
Ross
Harris's long-range speculative effort hurried
Francisco Ramos in the Maidenhead goal, and Mark
Nisbet did exceptionally well to block a goalbound
effort from David Stone.
With
Stone's pace becoming an increasing threat to
the United back-line and Town's defence looking
uncharacteristically hesitant, it looked only
a matter of time before one team notched a goal.
Lee
fired one into the side netting from the right
hand side of the box, and Stone's curled cross
caused panic at the other end, before skipper
Dominic Sterling headed away.
Sterling
was lucky to escape punishment shortly after when
he took Stone's legs away in a clinical tackle
from behind, but this only acted as a spur to
Stone, who shortly after broke into the box and
forced Ramos into a good save at his feet.
After
the best move of the half involving Harris and
Stone, Aaron Stringfellow then sent his volley
into orbit and down into the club's new all-weather
training facility, before the breakthrough finally
came on 37 minutes.
Danny
Hall's incisive through ball set David
Stone free down the middle again,
and this time the in-form striker made no mistake
and clipped the ball over Ramos to notch his fourth
goal in just six games.
The
second half started much as the first had ended
- with plenty of goalmouth action. Maidenhead's
Lee Newman blazed over from close range, and from
a similar distance Stringfellow saw his shot blocked
after he had been picked out by a Stone cross.
On
51 minutes the United defence was in particularly
vigilant form when Jason Taylor, Delroy Gordon
and Craig Herbert all saw shots blocked within
the same passage of play.
Gearing
then showed good pace to get in behind the defence,
and after Taylor had flicked on his cross, again
it was Stringfellow who was just unable to apply
the finishing touch.
Maidenhead
then began to impose themselves on the game, with
Afandiyev saving well at the feet of Allen, and
the same player wasting a golden opportunity when
screwed the ball wide.
For
Rugby, Stone burst through once more, but was
unable to get a shot on goal after what appeared
to be an illegal challenge on him in the box from
keeper Ramos.
The
scores were levelled on 79 minutes, when Valley
failed to clear a ball effectively from a corner
and it was drilled back into the box where an
unmarked Lee picked up the pieces and applied
a cool finish.
Rugby
pushed forward in search of a winner in the final
ten minutes of the game. Taylor headed wide from
a Rigby free-kick, and three corners from Hall
in quick succession caused panic in the Maidenhead
box.
The
final chance of the game fell to the lively Stone,
but his side footed effort was saved after a good
move involving Taylor and Rigby.
Links
>> Around
the League: Maidenhead United
>>
Previous
Meetings: Rugby v Maidenhead
>> Official
Maidenhead United FC Website
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