PROFLIGATE RUGBY SUFFER AGAIN

Rugby Town's winless run was extended to seven games as Aylesbury inflicted a 2-0 defeat at Butlin Road with Valley failing to find the net once more.

By CRAIG WEBB.

Photo: Martin Pulley

Striker Luke Keen was restored to the starting line-up but few chances fell his way on the night as he saw his team-mates miss the target

Town extended their winless league run to six games, with scoring now becoming a serious problem for Martin Sockett’s side.

Sockett made one change from the home draw to Biggleswade, with Luke Keen starting in place of fellow striker Seb Hamilton.

The visitors who started the match just below Rugby in the table, had the better of the early exchanges with Greg Williams and Ricky Miller testing keeper Dave Clarke with rasping shots from point blank range.

By midway through the half, Valley were having a lot of the possession but not really penetrating the visitors defence.

Richard Wesley had a snap shot from a cross from Nick Heath, and Tyrone Fagan put over a teasing ball for Keen but he was too late to connect to get a shot on.

The best chance for the home side came on the half hour when midfielder Paddy Connolly hit a powerful shot towards goal only to be comfortably saved by Aaron Bufton.

Aylesbury had the first opportunity of the second period, when substitute Matthew Butler forced a save from Clarke.

This passage of play seemed to wake up Rugby, who enjoyed their best spell of the game around the hour mark.

Striker Fagan - who has not scored a league goal since September - had two chances within many minutes. He found space in the area and turned but shot straight at keeper.

Almost immediately after, he shot high and over after a perfect tee up from captain Nick Preston.

In the 70th minute the visitors took the lead through their super sub Glen Hawkins.

Gareth Price floated in a perfect free-kick into the danger area and Hawkins rose the highest to head past the stranded Clarke.

Just five minutes later, they doubled their lead when despite three defenders around him, Hawkins managed to shoot from six yards and score past the oncoming keeper - much to the delight of the small group of travelling fans.

Despite putting on Seb Hamilton and Danny Edmond to try and get something out of the game, Rugby found it hard to punish the away defence, although Melvin Gourlay was just inches wide from a Heath free-kick.

In the last minute Keen shaved a header, but it was no threat to Bufton in the Aylesbury goal.

With games coming thick and fast over the next few weeks, Rugby will be hoping they get their scoring boots on sooner rather than later.

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

Aylesbury Line-up: Bufton, Smith, Mead, Stevens, Darby, Thompson, Price, Williams, Miller, Douglas, Schmidt.