YELTZ TOO STRONG

Photo: Martin Pulley

Winger Kevin Banner makes first half in-roads at Butlin Road against Halesowen Town in his first home appearance for the club

Town are still looking for their first points of the season, after a poor performance in their defeat against Halesowen at Butlin Road on Tuesday night.

The reverse signalled the end of a fine home run against the Yeltz that had seen Rugby conquer their old foes four times in the previous two seasons as part of an unbeaten stretch of seven games in total.

Valley just about held their own in an overall uninspiring first half, but once Halesowen captain Michael Briscoe had scrambled the opener on 57 minutes, Rugby never looked like getting back into the game.

Substitute Jermaine Palmer increased the advantage a quarter of an hour later, and the visitors could easily have extended it further in the closing minutes - squandering a series of good opportunities.

Although Rugby made a busy start, they soon lost their way - giving the ball away far too easily and often leaving lone striker Dolapo Olaoye isolated.

Andrew Stevens pulled off the first save of the game on four minutes, getting across to Tom Kemp's driven shot, and Mark Danks chipped one onto the top of the crossbar after he had spotted the keeper in advance of his line.

Valley then rallied briefly, with Ashley Walker's header cleared from the goalmouth, and Neil King's strong run down the left wing almost generating a goalscoring opportunity.

On 26 minutes, manager Rod Brown made an early tactical substitution replacing Andy Commander with Mark Taylor, and the veteran midfielder was soon in the action laying a ball through for Olaoye - who produced a great turn and shot in the box, only to see his effort beaten away by Yeltz keeper Nick Bussey.

In the run-in to the interval, Halesowen stepped up their game again though. Tom Bryant headed wide from a dangerous position, Danks should have done better with his strike after Stevens had misplaced a clearance and Aaron Cornwall missed the chance of the half when he headed into the hands of Stevens from close range.

The second half began with little incident until Stevens's poor punch from a Cornwall corner led to Briscoe helping the ball over the line to break the deadlock.

Richard Scott's fine saving tackle prevented a second from Justin Rowe shortly after, before Palmer was given too much time and space on the edge of the box and curled one home into the far side of the net.

The home side had upped their tempo following Briscoe's goal, but were unable to match it with any real sign of creativity and penetration. Stevens then pulled off a fine one handed save from Jay Denny, and Palmer squandered two consecutive breakaways - first screwing his final shot well wide of the goal and then later seeing his effort cleared off the line by Scott.

Rugby had to wait until the third minute of added time for their first chance of significance in the half, when Mark Edge's long range strike cannoned back off the crossbar.

Valley Line-up: Stevens, Gordon, Commander (M Taylor), Scott, Walker, Edge, Kolodynski, King, Olaoye (Pearson), Gearing (Robinson), Banner. Subs not used: Ryan, Martin. Booked: None. Sent off: None.

Halesowen Line-up: Nick Bussey, Denny, Cowley, Kemp, Briscoe, Bryant, Taylor, Lee, Rowe (Abbey), Danks (Palmer), Cornwall. Subs not used: Caskey, Melitas, Smith

Report by RTFC Online.