CLASSY VALLEY CHARM THE ADDERS

Rugby eased into the next round of the competition with a slick performance and a convincing victory in the replay at Sheepy Road on Tuesday evening.

By Jon Venner.

Photo: Martin Pulley

Substitute striker Joe Harris showed great confidence to step up and open his account for Valley from the penalty spot

Any fears that Martin Sockett’s side would be made to pay for their failure to capitalize on the many chances that they created in the original tie at the weekend were brushed aside by a confident display on the night against local rivals Adders.

Sockett restored the available again midfield duo Craig Civzelis and Paddy Connolly to his starting eleven, with Kieran Fitzharris and Joe Harris dropping down to the bench. Meanwhile the home side lined-up with the exact same personnel from Saturday.

Incredibly Valley were ahead after just twelve seconds, when Nick Heath’s up-field punt was flicked on into the path of Seb Hamilton – who first showed good pace and strength to take advantage of the opening, before adding a composed finish rounding keeper Richard Williams and stroking the ball into the empty net.

The visitors almost doubled their lead minutes later, with Ben Steane and Hamilton combining well to release Danny Edmond through the middle – with the striker firing his shot through Williams’s legs and into the goal.

However the effort was chalked off due to the flag of the linesman – the first of a number of baffling decisions of the evening, with all three match officials guilty of this and both sides on the receiving end.

Edmond went close with a flicked effort which just went past the post, before the hosts created their first real chance of the game when Dave Clarke was down well to keep out skipper Tom Guiney’s low header.

Richard Wesley sent a long ranger over the bar, before the Adders’ best opportunity of the night saw Clarke pull-out a fine one handed diving save to deny Tyron Amory’s well-struck effort.

Rugby rallied once more in the lead-up to the interval however, with Steane’s attempted shot just snuffed out by Dean Johnson, and Hamilton almost bundling the resulting corner home from close range.

After the restart, Valley were again quickly out of the blocks, with Hamilton’s run on goal halted by a late challenge from Zach Jackson. The defender was punished with a booking, and Steane subsequent free-kick almost sneaked into the top corner, but Atherstone’s hero from the weekend Williams was quickly across his line to touch the ball over for a corner.

Pressing hard for a second, Edmond had a shot blocked and Hamilton headed over, with Hamilton then denied a potential shot on goal when the referee failed to play a clear advantage to Rugby after an infringement further back up the pitch.

Rugby got their deserved goal on 67 minutes, after Edmond was felled in the box by Jackson. Jackson was dismissed for a second yellow card, and substitute Joe Harris calmly dispatched the spot-kick into the bottom right hand corner.

Two goals and a player to the good, Valley dictated the play from then on and could have added to their tally on a number of occasions.

Nik Preston volleyed over from close range and Harris should have done better with his effort from an equally point blank position, before Rugby scored their third from the move of the game – with Heath popping up at the far post to nod home Steane’s cross from the left.

Warwick Alexander almost grabbed a fourth late on with a stooping header which went just wide of the target.

Valley Line-up: Clarke; Heath, Phipps-Hall (Sockett), Charles, Preston; Connolly, Steane, Civzelis; Wesley, Edmond (Alexander), Hamilton (Harris). Subs not used: Fitzharris, Thomas. Booked: Edmond. Sent Off: None.

Atherstone Town: Williams, Johnson, Moseley, Guiney, Jackson, Bruce, Amory, Weale, Smith, Keen, Crawford. Subs: Perry, Belford, Nicholls, Banks, Shepherd, Rodgers.