Saturday 3rd February 2007

Attendance | 248

Wealdstone took advantage of defensive error and hesitation to score twice in the first quarter of an hour, with Jason Taylor's 60th minute goal ultimately only representing a consolation for the Valley.

David Stone was recalled to the starting line-up having missed the previous two games whilst away in Jamaica, and Billy Jeffrey also opted for three central defenders - moving Ross Harris to sweeper and playing Aaron Stringfellow and Chris Tullin in central midfield roles.

The Stones' first struck with Rugby adapting to this new formation. Stringfellow had already made two excellent blocks from a Chris O'Leary header and a Graham Hall shot, when on 9 minutes Jay Carbon found himself with space and time to fire his low shot across the goalmouth and into the net.

Six minutes later, Farhad Afandiyev spilled a high free-kick and Anton Innocent had the straightforward task of slotting the ball home from close range to double the home side's advantage.

Town dominated the remainder of the half, putting together some fine flowing moves. Matt Gearing poked the ball straight at Stones' keeper Lee Carroll, after Craig Herbert had headed down a corner and Taylor managed to create some room for himself in a crowded penalty box but Carroll again dealt comfortably with his shot.

On the half hour mark, good work between the influential, energetic Tullin and Stringfellow released Taylor once more, but this time the ball stuck under his feet and his shot from the edge of the area lacked power.

The chances continued to come for Rugby, with Jamie Williams blazing over after Gearing's cross had found him at the far post and Stone's shot from 25 yards also just rising over the bar.

Just before the half-time whistle, Wealdstone's Gary Montgomery shot into the side netting after cutting in dangerously from the left.

With the Valley in desperate need of a goal early in the second half, it was the hosts who first threatened with Harris doing well to clear a goal-bound effort from O'Leary off the line. However it was not long before Town regained control of the game again, with Carroll tipping Gearing's low free-kick around the post on 59 minutes.

From the resulting corner, Gearing's second attempt at delivering the ball into the box was well-controlled by Jason Taylor - who smashed it past Carroll to reduce the arrears.

Minutes later, Carroll had to alert to gather the ball just ahead of Stone, after Taylor had played his strike partner through the middle. Taylor himself almost had the ball in the net again on 70 minutes when he met Tullin's cross, but it would have been academic as the linesman flag was raised for offside.

In a rare attacking moment for the home side Scott Donnelly's free-kick drifted just wide, before Carroll pulled off a fine parried save from Tullin's long-range effort.

Substitute David Blenkinsopp had a glorious chance to grab a late equaliser when the ball fell to him on the edge of the area after a corner, but he sent his volley over the bar and with it went Town's hopes of salvaging a point.

Report by Jon Venner.

Rugby Lineup:

	Farhad Afandiyev
	Ross Harris
	CHRIS TULLIN Star Man
	Craig Herbert (c)
	Delroy Gordon
	Aaron Stringfellow
	Matt Gearing
	Willis Francis
	Jason Taylor Scored 1
	David Stone
	Jamie Williams

Subs Used :

	David Blenkinsopp
	David Kolodynski