FATIGUE SETS IN AFTER THREE GAMES IN SIX DAYS

Rugby Town's third game in six days perhaps unsurprisingly produced a dull stalemate at Butlin Road with neither side producing any clear cut chances.

By Craig Webb.

Photo: Martin Pulley

Right back Aaron Stringfellow breaks forward down the wing as Valley tried to find a breakthrough.

With the long trip to Cornwall in mind, manager Lee Colkin made 2 changes from the defeat to Halesowen with Matt Gearing and Greg Smith coming into the starting line-up in place of Matt Brown and Michael Love.

The visitors who are one place above Town, but twelve points ahead, had the first opportunity when Robert Hobbs had a shot which was wide of the far post.

Then it was David Kolodynski for the home side to have a chance within the first five minutes, but again his shot drifted wide causing Matthew Bulman no problem in the visitor’s goal.

In a poor game, which was indicative of both teams positions in the league, the sparse crowd were hoping for some inspiration and Chris Tullin nearly provided it with a shot on the edge of the area, but his effort caused no problem for Bulman, and then Smith had a snap shot out of nothing, but was agonisingly wide.

The second half started brighter for Town with Gearing looking lively creating half chances for both Kolodynski and Smith.

Swindon had their best chance of the game on the hour mark, when Ashan Holgate who was becoming increasingly dangerous as the game wore on hit the post before bouncing to safety, and Andy Stevens came to Rugby’s rescue not for the first time this season when he produced a finger tip save from substitute Ashley Edenborough’s shot.

As time wore on in the half, Rugby were denied a real opportunity to breach the Swindon defence when Gearing was brought down midway through the half.

The resulting freekick from Chris Hollist disappointingly was high and over the bar.

Swindon nearly won it right at the end of the game when Holgate again hit the woodwork, and the rebound found Edenborough who dwelled on the ball too much and Karl Fellows smothered the ball to safety, an exciting end to a poor match.

Valley Line-up: Stevens; Stringfellow, Hollist, Gordon, Fellows; Gearing, Oulton, Youngs, Tullin; Smith (Brown), Kolodynski. Subs not used: Love, Bell. Booked: Tullin, Oulton

Swindon Supermarine: Bulman, Lapham, Allen, Horgan, Henry, Bampton, Hobbs, Morris, Holgate, Taylor, Stanley
Subs: Edenborough, Cook, Collier