STOCKSBRIDGE STEEL THE TIE IN STOPPAGE TIME

Football can be a cruel game sometimes and Saturday proved that, with Rugby exiting from the FA Carlsberg Trophy late into stoppage time against Stocksbridge Park Steels.

By Craig Webb.

Photo: Martin Pulley

Valley midfielder Ben Steane put in another impressive display from the right

After coming from two goals behind in the last round against Hemel, Valley once again found themselves with a mountain to climb against their Yorkshire-based Evo-Stik Premier hosts.

Stocksbridge established a two-goal lead much against the grain of the game before Rugby made another valliant comeback with goals from Luke Keen and Niki Preston only for the hosts to snatch victory in stoppage time as the game was heading for a replay at Butlin Road.

Buoyed after their midweek win in the Red Insure Cup, Rugby’s line up had a more familiar look to it with Gary Moran, Melvin Gourlay and Paddy Connolly returning to the starting eleven.

Set in beautiful hills, the Look Local Stadium must be one of the most picturesque grounds in the country, however the match lived up to its surroundings with an action packed end to end game.

Despite being a level behind the Steels in the pyramid, Town started the brighter having the better possession in the early stages.

The home side were having problems getting a foothold on the game with Ben Steane forcing a save from goalkeeper Adam Ogden from Gourlay’s knockdown and Tyrone Fagan seeing an effort flash by the post after turning the Stocksbridge defence inside out.

Rugby’s good start though was cruelly ended when the hosts took the lead on the half hour mark through Richard Haigh with their first shot on goal.

The defender found space midway through the half to unleash a cracking shot into the top corner of the net leaving Dave Clarke helpless.

Despite the set-back Rugby never gave up and Keen produced a rasping effort forcing a great save from Ogden, who was undoubtedly the busier of the two keepers in the first half.

Just before the break Valley had an excellent chance to level but Keen blasted over after good work from Danny Phipps-Hall and Richard Wesley down the Rugby left.

In the second half, Rugby continued where they left off from the first period with good passing and possession, but they were dealt a major blow on 57 minutes when striker Andy Ring made it 2-0.

With his back to goal in the penalty area, Rugby could not clear the danger and Ring turned to shoot superbly into the corner of the net to leave Rugby with a lot to do.

Stocksbridge could have incredibly been out of sight moments later during a hectic couple of minutes when substitute Jack Muldoon missed a golden opportunity to finish off the game, when he fluffed his chance wide of the post after a slip by Gary Moran.

Rugby regained their composure and soon got their reward when Keen got Rugby deservedly back into the game on the hour park as he evaded the home defence to latch on to Steane's fine through ball and curl a left footed effort brilliantly into the net via the post.

After some sustained pressure it was no surprise when Rugby equalised just ten minutes later.

It came from a Wesley corner and the head of influential defender Preston who rose highest after excellent movement in the box to power a strong header past Ogden to the delight of the travelling fans.

With the scores now level, a replay was on the cards for Butlin Road but Rugby clearly had ideas on winning the game with substitute Hamilton coming closest for Valley after being pretty much camped in the Stocksbridge half for the final ten minutes.

However, Valley were dealt the cruel blow in the third minute of injury time again completely against the run of play.

Rugby lost possession on the edge of the Steels penalty area and a hopeful ball was pumped towards the Rugby penalty area.

Goalkeeper Clarke rushed out of his box to remove the minimal danger to Moran, whose clearance only fell to captain Brett Lovell whose attempted shot from long range turned into a dangerous cross-field ball and, with the Clarke backpeddling and rushing to get into position, Preston's attempted clearance fell kindly to Ring who from an amazingly tight angle squeezed a shot towards the goal which just crept inside the far post.

A disappointing end to a great team performance, but the team can take heart in more than testing their more illustrious opponents.

Valley Line-up: Clarke; Moran, Phipps-Hall, Preston, Gourlay; Steane, Wesley, Connolly, Gundelach; Fagan, Keen (Hamilton). Subs not used: Sheppard, Alexander, Charles, Goodbody. Booked: Gundelach, Wesley, Fagan, Preston. Sent Off: None.

Stocksbridge Park Steels: Ogden, Ludlam, Davies, Haigh, Lovell, Hawes, Callery, Dempsey, Ring, Ward, Smith.