FIRST HOME WIN AT LAST!

Valley claimed a first home league victory of the season by what turned to be an emphatic margin.

By Jon Venner.

Photo: Martin Pulley

Rugby's Ross Oulton celebrates David Kolodynski's goal to put Valley 2-0 ahead in the first half

The visitors had started the game in the ascendance though, and Andy Stevens did well to tip over Mark Bell's dipping effort early on, before Matt Brown opening the scoring with a well executed chip from twenty yards after City keeper Jonathan North had been slow to deal with a regulation back pass.

Brown was again the central figure in Town's second, smashing a shot off the crossbar giving David Kolodynski the opportunity to pounce on the rebound and sidefoot the ball home into an empty net.

Shortly after the restart Kolodynski almost took advantage of another poor back pass, before Delroy Gordon rose at the far post to nod in Chris Hollist's corner to make it three.

Five minutes later Kolodynski picked out his strike partner Brown with a great crossfield pass, which Brown controlled well before coolly rounding North and grabbing his second goal of the game.

Oxford pushed hard for a consolation, but rarely troubled the home team - with Lee Steele's shot on the turn representing a rare on-target effort for them in the second half.

Town came close to adding their fifth when substitute Matt Gearing's low shot came back off the base of the post and Chris Tullin smashed the rebound over.

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