VALLEY GAIN VITAL AWAY POINT

Rugby Town claimed a valuable draw at promotion-chasing Bashley but Valley were left disappointed that they couldn't find the cutting edge to collect all three points.

For a sixth consecutive match, Rugby put in an impressive performance but not for the first time in that period, they perhaps did not get the result they deserved for their efforts.

Valley boss Rod Brown made one change with Walsall striker Rorey Curtis returning to the starting eleven in the place of Dave Pearson in an otherwise unchanged line-up.

Rugby started well with Tom Breward testing Bashley keeper David Elm with a low 25-yard drive which was well tipped round the post while Bash top scorer Richard Gillespie headed over from a Chris Ferrett cross at the other end.

On-loan Coventry City youngster Kieran Fitzharris was again a handful in midfield for Valley and he set up two chances in quick succession for Neil King and Curtis, but both efforts were well saved by Elm.

The host's best chance of the half came as Chris Knowles saw his header trickle inches past the upright with from Ferrett's centre.

After an impressive first half for Rugby they deserved went ahead just five minutes into the second period. Rob Oddy latched onto Fitzharris' crossfield pass and cut inside before finding the net with a neat left foot half volley for his first goal for the club.

Bashley's Gillespie demonstrated his pace as he got in behind the visitor's defence from Gary Middleton's throughpass but the striker pulled his shot wide.

Rugby looked to have doubled their advantage when David Stone had the beating of Elm with an excellent lob but captain Paul Gazzard made an important goal line clearance before King blasted the loose ball over the crossbar.

The home side were level twelve minutes later when Rugby's Richard Scott was harshly adjudged to have fouled Ryan Moss in the penalty area and Craig Davis sent Richard Anstiss the wrong way with the resulting spot kick.

Delroy Gordon came within inches of restoring Valley's lead minutes later, but his header narrowly cleared the crossbar after Stephan Morley's free-kick.

Stone and Fitzharris continued to be thorns in the Bashley defence and this was epitomised in stoppage time when Stone appeared to have been brought down by Middleton in the area for a stone-wall penalty but the referee dismissed the appeals.

Valley Line-up: Anstiss, Oddy, Scott, Herbert, Gordon, Morley, Breward, King (Staff), Curtis, Stone, Fitzharris.
Subs not used: Musgrove, Pearson.
Booked: None.
Sent Off: None

Report by RTFC Online.