FIVE GOAL TALLY SHOOTS DOWN EAGLES

David Stone (right) celebrates his second and Valley's third goal with Matt Gearing

Valley extended their winning streak to three games with a five goal victory over Bedford at Butlin Road.

Rugby were in clinical form, and raced to a three goal half-time lead thanks to an opener from Akin Aladetoun and a brace from his strike partner David Stone - ensuring both players got on the scoresheet for the first time this season.

Bedford gave themselves hope with a goal on the hour mark, but were unable to make a further breakthrough despite a spell of persistent pressure, and late goals from substitutes Ashley Blake and David Kolodynski rounded off a successful night for Town - and conicidentally gave them their first five goal haul since the previous visit to Butlin Road of the Eagles.

Aladetoun forced the ball home from close range on 23 minutes after Delroy Gordon's header had been parried by the keeper, before Stone unleashed two great finishes from through balls from (the head of) Gordon and Willis Francis respectively.

Matt Gearing should have killed the game off shortly after half-time, but he could only chest Aladetoun's fiercely driven cross over the bar.

James Hatch headed home Andrew Phillips' centre to reduce the arrears, but Rugby's defence generally held firm - although Ben Farrell did roll a shot against the foot of the post shortly after Hatch's goal, and later Hatch himself blasted over from a corner.

The introduction of Kolodynski, Blake and Mark Edge brought the Valley fresh legs and additional strength, and with the visitors pushing forward in numbers, opportunities opened up for Town late in the game. Any doubts that a maximum return would not be gained were dispelled on 89 minutes when Blake powered home after good skill from Stone.

In the final attack of the game, Kolodynski got in behind the Bedford defence and ran with the ball from the halfway line before coolly slipping it under Andrew Stevens to complete the eventual rout.

Valley Line-up: Lynn 7, Stringfellow 8, Morley 6, Herbert 7, Gordon 8, BREWARD 8*, Gearing 7 (Blake 7), Francis 7 (Edge 6), Aladetoun 7 (Kolodynski 7), Stone 7, Musgrove 7.
Subs not used: McGrath, Harris,
Booked: Francis, Morley
Sent Off: None

Bedford Line-up: Stevens, Miller, Lawley, Darby, Gentle, Farrell, Woolf (Hatch), Stupple, Draycott (Phillips), Lyon, Sinclair.
Subs not used: Knight, Brown, Patterson.

Report by Jon Venner.