LETHAL BRAKES DEAL RUGBY CRUEL BLOW IN FULL-BLOODED DERBY

Rugby fell to another defeat against their arch rivals, but their performance warranted at least a point with some encouraging signs for manager Lee Colkin to work on in future games.

By Craig Webb.

Photo: Martin Pulley

Valley's new recruit Ross Oulton had an encouraging display in midfield but could not lead the visitors to victory

Town made one change from the line up that started against Nuneaton with Matt Gearing coming to replace Josh Thompson who was on the bench, with new players Aaron Stringfellow and Sam Birtwhistle also among the substitutes.

The opening 5 minutes started at a frenetic pace with both teams having early chances to take the lead.

Luke Corbett nearly gave the home side a dream start, with a 1st minute shot, but was comfortably saved by Andy Stevens.

Ross Oulton who has been showing promise at Rugby, went on a long run through the centre of midfield, but his attempted shot was easily crowded out.

Town made a promising start, and Oulton found David Staff free in a dangerous position but he overcooked his touch, enabling the Leamington defender to snuff out the chance.

Rugby were clearly playing the better football, but they were dealt a cruel blow in the 29th minute when the home side took an undeserved lead through there first real opportunity in the game.

Mark Bellingham tapping in from 3 yards from a cross which eluded Rugby’s defence.

Despite this setback, Rugby kept pushing forward with David Staff and Liam Nicell having speculative efforts.
With the wind howling and rain pouring down,

The New Windmill ground near Harbury can be an isolated place, and the slippery condition of the pitch was leading to a scrappy affair with neither side unable to play attractive football with the game being interrupted several times through bad tackles leading to free kicks.

Gearing was the subject of one heavy tackle, with Stuart Herlihy being one of 6 players being cautioned.

The home side extended their lead midway through the second half when good build up play from their own half resulted in substitute Matt Lewis delivering a perfect cross for Corbett to beat Chris Tullin to the ball and slide into the net past Stevens.

Rugby though were not giving up and pulled a goal back 15 minutes from time when Matt Brown scored for the second successive game when he pounced on a loose ball from Gearing’s cross.

The small band of travelling fans sensed an equaliser was on the cards, but despite putting a lot of pressure on Leamington, a weak shot by Oulton easily saved by Chris Kiely was all they could manage in the final moments.

In the 3rd minute of injury time, Leamington were reduced to 10 men when Michael Tuohy was sent off for a horrendous late tackle on Andy Stevens, when the goalkeeper had the ball in his hands.

The game lived up to a full bloodied derby but Town will rue missed chances, and hope the congested fixture list will produce better results in the coming weeks.

Valley Line-up: Stevens; Nicell (Stringfellow), Tullin, Gordon, Love (Birtwhistle); Fellows, Oulton, Youngs; Staff (Thompson), Gearing; Brown. Subs not used: Richards, Bell. Booked: Love, Oulton, Tullin, Fellows. Sent off: None.

Leamington: Kiely, Jackson, Husband, Sanders, Lycett, Knight, Faulds, Herlihy, Bellingham, Corbett, Batchelor. Subs: Lewis, Murphy, Reynolds, Cooper, Tuohy.