VALLEY
FLATTENED IN BOXING DAY DERBY
Title-chasing
Bedworth United ran out easy winners against Rugby
Town in the Boxing Day derby at The Oval.
By
Jon Venner
Photo:
Martin Pulley |
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Valley
striker Luke Keen
gave Rugby a half time lead but the
hosts came back strongly in the second
period. |
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Four
second half Bedworth goals settled the game after
Valley had taken a 34th minute lead through Luke
Keen’s penalty.
Whilst
the final margin of victory was probably a little
harsh on Dave Stringer’s men, the home side
did at times demonstrate the confidence and ability
that has seen them maintain a place in the top
three of the table for the entire season to-date.
Stringer
made just one change from the team that had comfortably
dispatched North Greenford in their last game
pre-Christmas, with Michael Williams replacing
the suspended Nik Preston – meaning a shift
to centre-back for Gary Moran.
The
opening exchanges were scrappy, with both sides
struggling to cope with a swirling wind and the
poor quality playing surface.
The
hosts edged the early play though and created
the only chances of note in the opening half an
hour – with Ashley Robinson screwing his
shot wide and then Matt Gardner failing to realise
how much time and space he had for a close range
header, after Pete Smith had only half cleared
a ball into the box.
It
was however Rugby that took the lead after Seb
Hamilton had nutmegged his man before delivering
a cross which struck the hand of Greenbacks full-back
Nathan Haines – providing the chance for
Keen to slot home a penalty for his twelfth goal
of the season.
Mitchell
Piggon had a couple of good opportunities for
United in the ten minutes that remained before
the interval, but struck both efforts just off
target.
Inevitably
the home side came at Valley from the off in the
second period.
Robinson
had another effort deflected wide by a late saving
tackle from Ed Booth after good work from Andrew
Spencer on the right flank.
Five
minutes into the half, Piggon grabbed the equaliser
when he finished off ex-Valley man Chris Tullin’s
cross, after Keen had been too easily dispossessed
in his own half.
Bedworth
continued to push Town back, and Smith did well
to deny Robinson when the striker was clean through
on goal and he also had to deal with a swirling
25 yard effort from Tullin.
On
the hour mark, Rugby had a rare glimpse of goal
though, when Seb Hamilton’s volley was headed
off the line – with Keen’s follow-up
effort also blocked away to safety.
However shortly after when Moran failed to deal
with a ball in the box, Piggon seized on this
to grab his own and his side’s second of
the game.
Valley
then had by far their best spell of the game for
the next twenty minutes, with Seb Lake-Gaskin
starting to threaten the Bedworth back-line and
Luke Leahy looking in fine form in the centre
of midfield.
Lake-Gaskin
had a good effort blocked, Leahy poked one wide
and Craig Reid also saw his goalbound effort deflected
away, as the visitors finally created a string
of chances.
Having
ridden the storm, the Greeenbacks then sealed
the game with two late strikes.
On
85 minutes another ex-Town player Matt Brown got
the third when he lobbed the oncoming Smith after
the Rugby defence had been slow to deal with a
long clearance, and then Nick Pollard grabbed
another in added-on time when he finished off
Brown’s flick-on.
Valley Line-up: Smith; Williams,
Reid, Moran, Booth; Miller (Banks), Leahy, Allen
(Wesley); Hamilton (Fagan), Lake-Gaskin; Keen.
Subs not used: Wilson, Gundelach.
Booked: Williams.
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