VALLEY
SUFFER IN CUP AGAIN
Valley
crashed out of the F.A.Cup at the first hurdle
after an 87th minute goal in the replay of their
Preliminary Round tie at Gornal on Tuesday evening.
By
Jon Venner
The
two sides had played out a goalless draw at the
weekend at Butlin Road, but the second game produced
a flurry of goals – with Town first taking
the lead and then twice coming from behind to
level, before Lee Wherton’s tap-in added
a final, cruel twist.
To be fair to the plucky giantkillers
Athletic, at no time in either game did Town ever
look totally convincing and they failed to demonstrate
the two level gap between the two sides.
Rugby made the perfect start by
taking the lead after just seven minutes on a
bouncing, bobbling pitch.
It was therefore no surprise that
it was the long ball option that did the trick,
when Connor’s long punt was flicked on by
Fagan to release Hamilton, and the striker went
past the last defender before side footing home
past Pemberton.
Athletic responded well - with
Meese curling a great shot on to bar, before Hamilton
headed Ben Steane’s free-kick just wide
at the other end.
The home side were level just
past the half hour though when Kristian Green
read the swirling wind well to head home a corner
at the back post.
It was two-one not long after
when Martin scored a somewhat freakish goal, squirting
in another header from a strange angle across
the skiddy surface.
Town could have back on level
terms themselves just before half-time, but Gundelach
took far too much time to steady himself after
Fagan and Hamilton had created a good chance for
him. As a result of the midfielder’s hesitancy,
his effort was blocked by a defender.
Four minutes after the restart,
the equaliser did come though, when Richard Wesley
scored the best goal of the game with a neat finish
under the body of Pemberton – after he had
shown good pace and control to break free.
The game turned again on 62 minutes,
when – despite a distinct lack of an appeal
– the referee adjudged that Steane had handled
Wherton’s point blank cross just inside
the box and Meese stepped up to send the spot-kick
high into the roof of the net.
Rugby again had the direct route
to thank for their next equaliser when Hamilton
helped on another long ball to allow Fagan to
ripple the net with his left-footed rasping volley.
In a game lacking any real quality,
it was all to play for in the closing twenty minutes
– with a trip to Kidsgrove in the next round
awaiting the winners.
However just when it appeared
extra time was on the cards, Wherton struck the
killer blow with a header from only a couple of
yards out – much to the delight of an animated
Gornal bench.
Valley
Line-up: Connor; Moran, Wilson, Gourlay;
Gundelach, Wesley, Steane, Evans, Miveld; Hamilton,
Fagan. Subs not used: Preston,
Khan. Booked: None. Sent
off: None.
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