ANOTHER QUICKFIRE TREBLE SPELLS TROUBLE FOR TOWN

For the second weekend running, Valley succumbed to higher placed opposition on the back of a horrendous start to a game which once more left them three goals adrift.

By Jon Venner.

Photo: Martin Pulley

Valley's Tyrone Fagan tries to break the Arlesey defence looking for a much needed goal

The nature of the early capitulation against Arlesley was even more severe than previously at Daventry, with the league leaders three up in just ten minutes of play.

Whereas in the local derby, Rugby did fight back bravely and could have even snatched a point, this time round there was little prospect against a well-drilled and seemingly Premier Division-bound team.

Town boss Martin Sockett made three changes from the 4-2 defeat at Daventry, with Gary Moran, Richard Wesley and Tyrone Fagan all dropping down to the bench, and debutant Papis Nam Dieyte, Ross Oulton and Seb Hamilton replacing them in the starting line-up.

Again Rugby were behind within a minute – this time with just nineteen seconds on the clock – when Arlesley’s Chris Marsh sneaked in behind the defence to finish Lee Allinson’s through ball off with clinical accuracy, despite the appeals for offside from the home side.

The second attack from the visitors on four minutes saw a second goal, with ex-Nuneaton striker Chris Dillon firing home his half-volley to Cameron Mawer’s crossed ball.

When Rugby struggled to deal with Allinson’s free-kick six minutes later, Dillon’s flicked header came back off the base of the post to give Mark Leach a simple opportunity to power home from close range, and the game was all but dead and buried for the hosts.

Valley needed a quick response if they were going to stand any chance of salvaging something, and Leon Simpson blew a great chance of doing this when he spooned over from just inside the box after Ben Steane had played him in.

Claudiu Hoban’s free-kick to the far post was helped over the bar by skipper Nik Preston on 26 minutes – marking Rugby’s last significant foray of the half.

For the remainder of the first period, Arlesley took control once more and could have added to their tally on a number of occasions ahead of the interval.

Dave Clarke pulled out a fine low, one-handed save to deny Allinson’s header, Dillon almost capitalised on a bad error from Melvin Gourlay, and Allinson again almost poked home Dillon’s cross on the stroke of half-time.

Arlesley eased their way through the second half, rarely troubled by the home attack – although substitute Andy Gundelach and Hamilton did both have early chances, but their respective efforts lacked any real potency.

Clarke was again down well to keep out Derek Brown’s header, and Dillon also headed one against the crossbar – as the game petered out at a sun-drenched Butlin Road.

There was though a late consolation for Valley when Nick Heath took Hamilton’s pass in his stride before spearing his shot into the bottom left hand corner of the net – with just twenty seconds of normal time remaining.

Rugby line-up & ratings: Clarke, Heath, Dieyte, Preston, Gourlay, Oulton (Wesley), Steane (Gundelach), Connolly, Simpson (Fagan), Hoban, Hamilton. Subs not used: Hall, Moran.

Booked: Heath, Fagan

Arlesley line-up: Hayward, Mawer, Perpetuni, Leach, Brown, Allinson, Deeney, Sinclair, Dillon, Marsh, Goss. Subs: Mason, Abbey, Price, Gray, Ender.

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