SECOND
HALF RECOVERY SECURES POINT
Town
put in a much improved second half performance
to fight back to claim a point against Barton
last Saturday, after an uninspiring first half
one had seen them fall behind to their lowly opponents.
By
Jon Venner
Photo:
Martin Pulley |
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Midfielder
Lee Miveld crosses
in the second half as Rugby searched
for a winner. |
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Seb
Hamilton’s 55th minute equaliser was a just
reward for a Valley side that generally showed
more spark after the half-time break.
Rugby
boss Dave Stringer recalled the available again
Gary Moran to his back-four in the only change
from the previous game – a midweek home
defeat against Aylesbury, but once more saw his
team struggle to make an impression at Butlin
Road in the early exchanges.
Barton’s
Ricky Case had the first shot on target after
just two minutes, which Louis Connor did well
to beat out low down with a strong hand.
With
intermittent heavy rain not helping their cause,
Town created little in the opening twenty minutes
– apart from a Ben Steane volley which drifted
wide of the goal and a looping header from Tyrone
Fagan which was easily taken by Richard Wilmot.
The
visitors took the lead on 24 minutes when defender
Andrew Iwediuno got the faintest of touches to
captain Lee Wilson’s low driven free-kick
into the box, and left Connor unable to prevent
the ball trickle into the net.
In
a muted response, Richard Wesley nipped in behind
the Rovers’ defence but could only lift
the ball over the top of framework and Nik Preston
poked one wide from an acute angle from a Hamilton
lay-off.
The
introduction of Steve Evans on 53 minutes proved
to be the catalyst to the second half improvement,
finally giving Rugby some control and creativity
in the middle of the park.
Wilmot
saved well from Wesley after Fagan had played
him in, before Evans was then involved in the
build-up to the equaliser two minutes later, feeding
Steane who in turn whipped in a cross which Hamilton
powerfully headed past Wilmot.
Preston’s
header to another Steane delivery shortly after
lacked the necessary power and drifted wide, as
Town upped the tempo and pressed hard for a winner.
Melvin
Gourlay somehow managed to bundle himself through
a crowded penalty area, before Wilmot was again
in fine form to keep out another goalbound effort.
However
it was Barton that had the best chance of the
final quarter of the game when substitute Dave
Parkinson outmuscled the Valley defence to get
a run on goal down the left channel, but fortunately
his shot came back off the base of the near post.
Hamilton
and Evans both had late chances of a goal, but
Hamilton’s header was taken high by Wilmot
after a free-flowing Rugby move and Evans’
low long ranger was also gathered by the visiting
keeper.
Rugby
line-up & ratings: Connor, Moran, Reece, Preston,
Gourlay, Gundelach (Evans), Steane, Miveld, Fagan,
Hamilton, Wesley. Subs not used: Wilson, Khan,
Da Costa, Isherwood.
Booked:
Hamilton
Goal:
Hamilton 55
Barton
line-up: Wilmot, Vaughan, Wilson, Knight, Spencer,
Iwediuno, Duffy, Payne, Brinkman, Kierans, Case.
Subs: Parkinson, Hull, Birch, Highley, Smeaton.
Goal:
Iwediuno 24
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