TOO EASY FOR ROVERS

Rugby's David Staff makes a rare foray forward on a joyless afternoon at the Victoria Ground

Rugby registered a distinctly below-par performance in falling to a heavy defeat at the Victoria Ground on Saturday.

Valley were second best in all areas of the pitch against a managerless Rovers side, who had previously only recorded a single home victory following their promotion to the BGB Premier Division at the start of the season.

Ex-Redditch midfielder Matt Birley was the home side's chief tormentor, and he could have opened the scoring on a couple of occasions before finally doing so after 21 minutes when he drilled his low shot beyond the reach of Martyn Margetson.

Rugby's only real chance of the first half saw David Stone wriggle past a couple of defenders on the edge of the box, before sending his shot narrowly wide of the upright.

In the lead-up to the interval, the home side struck with a quick-fire double blow, virtually shattering any hopes of a second-half Valley comeback in the process.

First Richard Ball tapped home from close range after the ball had fallen kindly off the referee's hand in the build-up, and then, less than a minute later, an unchallenged Damien Markman headed in David Bridgwater's free kick.

Town offered a little more after the break, with David Staff and Alex Bolt both getting behind their fullbacks before seeing their crosses intercepted.

In Rugby's best move of the match on 58 minutes, Scott Musgrove's shot was blocked after good link-up play between Stone and Akin Aladetoun.

Musgrove also later had the ball in the net, but Aladetoun had blatantly already handled the original centre from Staff.

Markman grabbed his second and his side's fourth, finishing off another Bridgwater set-piece to confirm the win for a hungrier, sharper and generally more threatening Rovers side.

Valley Line-up: Margarson 6, Stringfellow 6, Morley 4 (Edge 5), Thorogood 5 (Harris 6), Gordon 5, Breward 5, Bolt 5, Musgrove 4, Aladetoun 4, Stone 5, STAFF 6*.
Subs not used: Kabongo,
Booked: None.
Sent Off: None

Report by Jon Venner.