VALLEY SLIP AT THE OVAL

Photo: Martin Pulley

Dave Pearson leads a foray forwards for Rugby but the visitors struggled to get a shot on goal during the first period

Town suffered a second friendly defeat in four days, going down to local rivals Bedworth thanks to a 69th minute penalty from defender Danny Pitham - who had a short spell at Butlin Road in 2004.

The home side were good value for the win, and the margin of victory could have been greater against a Rugby side which lacked quality and much sign of creativity on the night.

The Greenbacks struck the woodwork twice - through another ex-Valleyite Jermaine Gordon in the first half and then Gilbert Cummins early in the second. The on-loan David Kolodynski had already missed a good opportunity to embarrass his normal team mates in the game's opening minutes, and Town keeper Andrew Stevens also pulled off two fine saves from well-struck free-kicks by Paul Spacey either side of the break.

At the other end, Town were restricted to a limited amount of half chances. Ashley Walker's header from Matt Gearing's chip into the box was the best of the first half, with the home keeper Andrew Kemp clawing the ball out from under his bar.

Kemp was again well-placed to block Gearing's low shot on 63 minutes, and also parry Walker's long range strike after the Redditch defender broke from his own half.

From the latter blocked effort, Premiership referee Stuart Atwell then adjudged that the hosts had committed a back-pass from the subsequent loose ball, giving Valley an indirect free-kick from inside the penalty area. Unfortunately Steve Purton squandered this opportunity, slicing his strike way high of the goal.

The Bedworth winner came after Spacey was upended in the box, and Pitham wrong-footed Stevens from the spot. United's Adam Kinder should have increased the tally shortly after, but Stevens was down well to smother the substitute's close range effort.

Ashley Robinson headed wide for Town in the closing minutes, but generally there were few positives to be drawn from their performance - apart from Stevens' continued competence between the sticks and an effective display in a defensive midfield role from Mark Taylor.

A further piece of good news for Valley fans saw a ten minute run-out at the end for striker Jason Taylor. Taylor missed the entire 2007-08 season with a knee injury, and this return to action at the Oval comes ahead of the originally anticipated timescale.

Valley Line-up: Andrew Stevens, Craig Herbert (Richard Scott), Ashley Walker, Andy Commander (Steve Purton), Matt Gearing, Kevin Banner (Edward Ryan), Neil King (Neil Melvin), Mark Taylor (Jason Taylor), Avun Jephcott (Kieran Fitzharris), Daren Dykes (Rory Curtis), Dave Pearson (Ashley Robinson).

Report by Jon Venner.