KEEN PENALTY SINKS UNBEATEN LEADERS

Rugby Town made it five successive wins and with it ended Hitchin's unbeaten league record this season with a truly stoic performance against the league leaders.

By Craig Webb.

Photo: Martin Pulley

Valley striker Luke Keen slotted home a last minute penalty - his eleventh of the season - ending Hitchin's 35-game unbeaten league run

After Zak Burke's spectacular strike had equalised Seb Hamilton's opener for Rugby, it was then Luke Keen's dramatic late penalty that won the game for Valley against a Hitchin side who, for the majority of the game, had most of the possession but could not hammer home the many chances they had particularly in the second half.

With Richard Wesley unwell, manager Martin Sockett recalled Hamilton into his place while new signing, forward Simeon Smith from Atherstone Town, taking his place on the bench.

The visitors started the match brighter than their high flying hosts with Tyrone Fagan having two reasonable efforts on goal within the first ten minutes before Hitchin thought they had scored minutes later but returning captain Niki Preston scrambled the effort off the line.

Midway through the half the game was pretty even with Fagan again having a chance this time hitting the crossbar after a lovely ball from Luke Keen.

With half time approaching Hitchin seemed to step up a gear when they started to create more chances with Louis Lee and John Frendo going close and Burke skimming the post with their best effort of the half.

Rugby could not have had a better start to the second period when they took the lead just 58 seconds in through it has to be said a scrappy goal, but they all count.

Keen crossed into the area, home keeper Martin Bennett seemed to fumble it and the ball reached Seb Hamilton who somehow managed the poke the ball home into an empty net from three yards.

The lead though lasted just twelve minutes as the hosts were level when Burke was unchallenged on the edge of the area and unleashed a cracking shot into the top corner which left Dave Clarke stranded.

Hitchin were now clearly on top and as Rugby struggled to get possession the Canaries came back with barrage after barrage of efforts, with their leading scorer John Frendo getting increasingly frustrated seeing his multiple of shots either being excellently saved or going wide and over.

However, it was not just Frendo, Richard Howell saw a snap shot go wide with twenty minutes to go, and Burke thought he had put Hitchin in front just minutes later, but Clarke made a superb blocking save on the line.

Despite what was being thrown at them, Rugby’s defence was solid and restricting Hitchin to long range speculative efforts.

With the game seemingly to end in the draw, Valley suddenly had a chance to win the game.

A long clearance from Clarke was not dealt with by the Hitchin backline and once the ball struck the arm of the defender in the area the assistant referee flagged to award a penalty, much to the disdain of the home players.

Keen made no mistake from twelve yards to slot home and send Bennett the wrong way.

With at least four minutes of stoppage time left, the question was, could they hold on for a memorable win?

Their cause was helped further when Frendo got sent off in the dying minutes for a high tackle on Connolly.

The final whistle did eventually blow, to cap off a cracking win much to the delight of their brilliant fans.

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

Hitchin : Bennett, Fontenelle, Pepper, Gilbert, M Smith, Lee, Howell, Donnelly, Burke, Frendo, Lewis.