VALLEY GO DOWN IN TIGHT AFFAIR

A solitary second half strike from Ashford’s Jones Awuah settled last Saturday’s close contest at Butlin Road.

By Jon Venner.

Photo: Martin Pulley

Valley's Richard Wesley operated from a left wing-back role in a change of shape for Martin Sockett's Rugby Town side.

Valley boss Martin Sockett had made three changes to the side that disappointed in the game previously at Uxbridge – giving a full debut to Simeon Smith, whilst also finding a place in the starting line-up for Craig Goodbody and the returning Nick Heath.

There was also a rare change in formation in defence, with Sockett employing three centre halves and two wing backs.
Rugby started well enough, with Paddy Connolly’s early shot drawing a good low save from visiting keeper Paul McCarthy.

Shortly after, Melvin Gourlay had more time than he was aware of when the ball fell to him in the box, so he hurried his effort and tamely lifted it into McCarthy’s arms instead.

The hosts’ early promise continued, with Luke Keen firing his shot over the bar after Goodbody had picked him out with an incisive through ball.

Keen drilled another one across the face of the goal - but unfortunately straight at McCarthy, before the two best opportunities of opening the scoring in the first half came from skipper Nik Preston.

First Preston turned well on the edge of the penalty area before sending in a goalbound volley which McCarthy just tipped over the bar. Eight minutes later, he was on the end of Richard Wesley’s free-kick to the far post, only to smash the ball into the side netting.

Rugby’s new-look backline generally snuffed out any threat from the visitors in the opening period, with Alain Behi’s volley – which was blocked by his own team-mate Awuah – a rare threatening moment.

Straight after the break, Connolly lifted the ball over the stranded McCarthy, but unfortunately it sailed high of the target too.

With Valley beginning to look short of inspiration and drive, Sockett replaced his front pairing with Tyrone Fagan and Seb Hamilton just after the hour mark, and the change around almost reaped immediate rewards when the two strikers combined well before McCarthy did well to gather Fagan’s low strike.

Ashford were gradually getting themselves into the game though, and Awuah blasted one wide, before ominously Jamie Lawrence got in behind the defence – before applying a similarly off-target effort.

The decider came on 76 minutes when Tom Kanek slipped one through to release Awuah, and he calmly clipped the ball past Dave Clarke.

Rugby were unable to raise themselves sufficiently for that final quarter of an hour push for an equaliser, and apart from a weak effort from Lee Parsons and Fagan’s backward header – which McCarthy palmed away from danger – they created little of note in the danger zone.

Awuah also had a chance of second late on, but he blasted wide after the experienced Lawrence had created the opportunity with a neat pass.

Valley Line-up: Clarke; Preston, Goodbody, Gourlay; Heath, Wesley, Parsons, Steane, Connolly; Keen (Hamilton), Smith (Fagan). Subs not used: Phipps-Hall, Masters, Thomas. Booked: None. Sent off: None.

Ashford line-up: McCarthy, Kiffin, Curtis, Canderton, Jeffreys, Behi, Berry, Hickie, Lawrence, Kanek, Awuah. Subs: Taffurelli, Edusei, Burgess.