RUGBY PAY FOR LACK OF DISCIPLINE

Nine-man Rugby Town were made to pay for ill-discipline as struggling Fleet Town came away from Butlin Road with a point.

By Jon Venner Tweet

Photo: Martin Pulley

The first half against Fleet saw four goals included two fantastic strikes from Valley striker Seb Lake-Gaskin

Rugby ended up scraping a point from a rollercoaster encounter - thanks to a late goal from Ed Booth.

Valley had looked like they were coasting to a much-needed victory after they went two ahead within the opening twenty minutes.

However relegation threatened Fleet overturned that lead, before the head of Booth kept the home side’s outside chance of making the play-offs alive with just four minutes of normal time remaining.

There was still time for the dismissals of Ross Miller and Michael Williams – both for two yellow cards apiece – leaving Valley with just nine men in the closing exchanges.

With keeper Dave Bevan unavailable, boss Dave Stringer turned to one time club favourite Andy Stevens to fill-in between the sticks.

There was also a recall to the starting line-up for Tyrone Fagan and fit-again Robbie Banks, with new signing Dean Rathbone on the bench.

Stevens and Fagan were the providers for Rugby's opener on twelve minutes when the keeper’s long ball up-field was flicked on by the striker into the path of Seb Lake-Gaskin, who showed quick feet before firing his shot past Ryan Pryce.

Luke Leahy twice went close for the hosts, before Lake-Gaskin was again on target – finishing off an impressive passage of free-flowing football with another low finish into the corner of the net.

The two goal advantage did not last long though, with Fleet player-manager Craig Davis firing home from the edge of the box just two minutes after Lake-Gaskin’s second strike.

Despite this setback, Rugby continued to look comfortable, and Fagan shot on the turn flew just the wrong side of the crossbar, with Leahy and Richard Blythe also putting efforts narrowly wide of the target.

However the visitors struck again on the stroke of half-time, when Valley did not deal with a long ball, allowing Mark Watkins to punish them with a clean strike past Stevens.

Fagan put one into the side netting just after the restart from Booth’s through ball, before Fleet took the lead in the 54th minute when Stevens spilled an easy take – allowing James Scott to force home the rebound from close range.

Stevens in part redeemed himself for his error shortly after with a good save to a Davis free-kick, whilst at the other end Fagan blazed over once more.

Having already stretched Pryce with a well-directed header minutes before, Booth again outjumped his marker to head home Leahy's free-kick on 86 minutes – to set up an exciting finale.

Valley’s chances of snatching a winner diminished rapidly though, first with the departure of Miller and then Williams from the proceedings.

Despite their two man disadvantage, to their credit it was the hosts who took the initiative for the closing few minutes – and had substitute Seb Hamilton’s header been a few inches lower, a remarkable victory would have been achieved.

Valley Line-up: Stevens; Moran, Milligan (Williams), Miller, Booth; Banks, Leahy, Blythe (Rathbone), Allen (Hamilton); Lake-Gaskin, Fagan. Subs not used: Preston, Palmer. Booked: Booth, Leahy, Miller, Williams. Sent Off: Miller, Williams.

Fleet Town Line-up: Pryce, Wilson, Hutchings, Egan, Scott, Byres, Pilgrim, Davis, Cox, Hunter, Watkins. Subs not used: Herbert, Maclean, James.