JOY AT LAST FOR TRAVELLING VALLEY FAITHFUL

After 17 winless games, Rugby finally won their first league game of the season at the Hands Stadium with their best performance of the season by far.

By Craig Webb.

With the return of former fans favourite, Gez Murphy who signed earlier in week from Nuneaton Town, he added maturity, experience and steel to a team who played together to produce a vital win that will instill confidence going into the busy Christmas programme.

With manager Lee Colkin still on holiday, defender and assistant Michael Love gave Shawn Richards a start in the absence of Matt Gearing, while Murphy went straight into the team with Brian Bowles on the bench.

Town have not had a great record against the Seasiders in previous visits, and the early signs were not good, with the home side having the early pressure with half chances.

Rugby’s first clear cut chance came in the 12th minutes when Karl Fellows found Matt Brown in space on the right, but he was adjudged offside by the assistant referee, when the move looked promising, but three minutes later, Brown had another opportunity but saw his shot sail over the bar from Richard’s cross.

The game was now heating up nicely on a bitterly cold afternoon, with Sam Youngs trying his luck with a speculative shot from 25 yards, but effort was blasted high and off target.

Clevedon were now creating chances with Pete Sheppard having a shot cleared off the line by Liam Nicell, and he then shot from 18 yards which just scraped over the bar with the Rugby players backing off allowing him to shoot.

Rugby made the breakthrough just short of the half way mark, with a delightful goal scored by Murphy made by Richards who played the ball forward to Brown, who touched back to the youngster who slotted the ball to Murphy who then scored by putting the ball through the goalkeepers legs to the delight of the small travelling party of fans.

Unfortunately the lead only lasted two minutes when Clevedon equalised through Sheppard, who received a low cross from Josh Brigham to score from six yards.

Rugby started the second half in the same positive manner as the first and this was demonstrated when they went ahead on 52 minutes when Sam Youngs unmarked halfway through the Clevedon unleashed an unstoppable shot which gave Danny Greaves no chance.

The away side were now playing with renewed confidence rarely seen this season with Murphy producing a low shot from Richard’s cross, and David Staff having a shot midway through the half, but not troubling Greaves.

With nineteen minutes left, Liam Nicell scored Rugby’s third, from close range scoring from Youngs pass after he had found space in the penalty area.

Clevedon who are also in the lower reaches of the league could not produce any chances to trouble the town defence with only Brigham having a header go wide of the post.

Town had the opportunity to score a fourth in the 90th minute, when they were awarded a penalty despite the challenge on substitute Josh Thompson looking like it was done outside the area.

Referee Chris Miller pointed to the spot but Richards couldn’t finish off a top class performance from him when his penalty was saved with the goalkeeper going the right way.

After three minutes off injury time, the final whistle was sounded to delight of the supporters who applauded a deserved win.

Valley Line-up: Stevens; Nicell, Tullin, Gordon, Love; Richards, Staff, Fellows, Youngs; Murphy, Brown (Thompson). Subs not used: Bowles, Kewgyir. Booked: None. Sent off: None.

Clevedon Town: Greaves, Molyneaux, Walsh, B Evans, Townley, Wilmot, Brigham, Loxton, J Evans, Sheppard, Wring. Subs not used: Colborne, Blakmore, Main, Fisher.