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 Tweet

Photo: Martin Pulley

Valley striker Luke Keen gave Rugby a half time lead but the hosts came back strongly in the second period.

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.