CITY QUICK OUT OF BLOCKS TO QUELL VALLEY

It was yet another defeat for Valley, this time at the hands of a Cambridge City side still harbouring hopes of a place in the play-offs at the end of the season.

By Jon Venner.

Photo: Martin Pulley

Central midfielder Sam Youngs wins the ball in the air with the aid of Michael Love

Cambridge comfortably brushed their hosts aside thanks to a three goal blitz in a fifteen minute period in the first half.

Assistant manager Michael Love - still in charge of the side - recalled himself to the starting line-up in place of the injured Sam Birtwhistle – but despite the experienced Love’s presence in the heart of the defence, City looked likely to break the deadlock virtually from the start.

Tony Burke’s deflected shot hurried Andy Stevens across his line to make a save, Jamie Barker should have done better with his shot in the box and Adrian Cambridge’s free-kick was cleared off the line by Love before the visitors took an inevitable lead on 20 minutes when an unchallenged Dave Theobald headed home Burke’s cross.

Burke should have made it two shortly after, but Stevens did well to keep the effort out with his legs. Neil Midgley soon brought another fine save from Stevens, as City continued to threaten.

In the opening exchanges Sam Youngs had run at the Cambridge defence, but sent his shot wide of the target, and David Kolodynski’s clever back heel towards goal almost fooled keeper Zac Barrett in a rare attacking highlight for Town.

Then despite Rugby’s appeals for offside, Barker doubled his side’s advantage on 29 minutes, helping home James Krause’s ball into the box.

The opportunity for an immediate response for the home side went begging when Matt Gearing lifted the ball over the body of Barrett, but agonisingly across the goal-line, before Milton Elenge hooked it away.

A City victory was all but sealed on 35 minutes, when City skipper Cambridge got a fortuitous touch to Ashley Fuller’s long range strike to divert it past the wrong-footed Stevens.

Gearing had another opportunity for Valley just before the interval after Kolodynski had played him in, but Barrett pulled out a fine low, one-handed save to deny him.

With their three goal cushion, Cambridge then eased off the accelerator pedal in the second half, although both Theobald and Fuller did go close early in the period.

Rugby did offer a little more threat as a result, getting in behind the City defence on occasions – but were all too often let down by their final ball or by a weak effort on goal.

Gearing flashed another shot wide, James Farrow was also off-target with an effort from the edge of the box and Kolodynski side-footed one straight at the keeper with probably the best of the second half chances.

Late on, Cambridge sub Ramon Calliste had the best opportunity to add to the scoreline when he somehow blazed his shot past the post with an open goal gaping in front of him.

Valley Line-up: Stevens; Tullin, Hollist, Love, Fellows; Youngs, Stringfellow (Farrow), Gearing (Kwegyir), Richards; Kolodynski, Brown. Subs not used: Bell. Booked: None. Sent off: None.