SOLID WIN KEEPS VALLEY IN THE HUNT

Rugby Town completed a comfortable win over Buckinghamshire rivals Marlow to keep their play off ambitions very much on.

By Craig Webb.

Photo: Martin Pulley

The team celebrate Claudiu Hoban's goal that gave Rugby a 2 goal buffer leading into the last quater of the game.

Valley attacked the game with three forwards playing from the start and all three were on the scoresheet with Claudiu Hoban and Leon Simpson’s second half strikes adding to Tyrone Fagan’s early goal.

With the teams around them in the table also winning with games in hand, it was vital a victory was assured.

Manager Martin Sockett made a couple of changes from the midweek draw with Leighton with Ben Steane back in the starting line up, and striker Fagan making up an attacking 4-3-3 formation alongside Hoban and Simpson.

With the team coach arriving later than usual due to traffic problems, the players had less time to warm up but you would not have thought so when Town took the lead in the fourth minute after a great display of teamwork.

Winger Richard Wesley crossed the ball over to Nick Heath on the edge of the area, and in space found Fagan who coolly slotted the ball home from eighteen yards.

The home side tried immediately to get back into the game but to no avail with both John Mbamarah and Stuart MacLellan having chances but lack of power and a good stop from Paddy Connolly denied them.

The first half was littered with interruptions with petty fouls and free kicks dominating the proceedings which was stopping both teams playing fluent football, though Leon Simpson missed a huge opportunity when he scuffed his shot wide in the 37th minute.

The second half was much better in terms of fluidity, and Marlow had the better of the early proceedings having their best period of the game but could not find a way past the Rugby defence.

Town went further ahead in the 64th minute when Romanian-born Claudiu Hoban scored after taking a freekick near the corner flag. The ball eluded everybody in the penalty area to loop over home goalie Michael Watkins. The young striker had now scored an impressive four goals in just seven starts for the club.

By this stage Rugby were looking increasingly comfortable with Marlow posing no threat to cut down Town’s lead.

And it was no surprise that they wrapped up the win with just five minutes to play through Simpson.

The ball which initially was pumped in the Marlow area was cleared but then the ball found the tall striker unmarked and blasted it past Watkins to send the away support into raptures.

With the game now beyond them, Marlow had their first shot on target in the 90th minute. A freekick from Tom Willment was brilliant tipped over by Dave Clarke.

With only six games remaining, every game is now vital for Town if they are to achieve a play off spot.

Valley Line-up: Clarke; Moran, Preston, Gourlay; Heath, Wesley (Oulton), Steane, Connolly; Hoban, Simpson, Fagan (Gundelach). Subs not used: Edwards, Goodbody, Thomas Booked: Steane, Wesley

Marlow: Watkins, Case, Hudell, Avery, Lane, Isaac, Dickens, Mbamarah, MacLellan, Couch.