END-TO-END ENCOUNTER ENDS EVEN

Akin Aladetoun ended his goal-drought with a well-taken goal to equalise affairs just before half time

Rugby Town were held to a 1-1 draw at Butlin Road by promotion-hopefuls Bashley in an entertaining and end-to-end encounter.

With injuries to key duo Tom Breward and Delroy Gordon, Billy Jeffrey brought in defender James Russell (on loan from Kettering) with Mark Edge also earning a re-call.

For the eighth successive game, Rugby failed to score the first goal, and the visitors went ahead at the mid-point of the first half when Ferrett's long range wide free kick found its way past Martyn Margarson in the Valley goal and crept into the corner.

Bashley were on top for most of the first half and Rugby had Margarson to thank for keeping them in the game with some smart stops.

Rugby levelled five minutes before the interval when David Stone played in Akin Aladetoun, who ran clear from the defence from inside his own half before rounding the goalkeeper to score his first goal since the 5-1 win over Bedford in September.

Valley grew stronger as the game progressed and after half time enjoyed better possession and some good chances.

The best chances for both sides came in the final few minutes. Firstly, for Rugby, Stone wriggled free of his marker in the box before seeing his shot rebound to Scott Musgrove who contrived to miss the target from eight yards with the goal gaping.

Then Margarson was again on hand at the other end with an excellent reflex save when it looked for all the world that Richard Gillespie had put Bashley ahead.

In the dying seconds David Staff stole possession in the Bashley half and played in substitute David Kolodynski but the young striker pulled his shot wide of the post.

Valley Lineup: Margarson 7, Stringfellow 7, Morley 5, Herbert 6, Russell 6 (Harris 6), Bolt 6, Edge 7, Musgrove 6, ALADETOUN 7* (Kolodynski 6), Stone 7, Staff 7.
Subs Not Used: Kabongo.
Bookings: None.
Sent Off: None.

Report by RTFC Online.