VALLEY WIN IN PRE-CHRISTMAS COMFORT

Rugby Town secured a comfortable pre-Christmas victory against North Greenford United at Butlin Road.

By Jon Venner Tweet

Photo: Martin Pulley

Valley forward Seb Lake-Gaskin was instrumental in two of the three first half goals

Town controlled last Saturday’s home game against struggling North Greenford throughout, and as a result could have won by an even bigger margin than the final tally.

Dave Stringer’s side had raced into a three goal lead within the opening thirty three minutes, before seeing the visitors peg one back.

Rugby then failed to capitalise on their dominance against sub-standard opposition until Ed Booth added a fourth with just eleven minutes remaining to put the game out of the reach of Greenford – who also stole an added-on time consolation.

Stringer made two changes from the team which had stuttered to a draw the previous week at Fleet, with Gary Moran recalled at right-back and Seb Hamilton preferred as part of his front three, in place of Richard Wesley.

Valley pressured from the off, with Luke Keen having their first goalscoring opportunity when he skipped round keeper Baboucar Jallow – only to see his subsequent effort cleared from the goalmouth by a covering defender.

Seb Lake-Gaskin blazed over and Keen had another shot saved, before the two Town forwards combined for the opener on nineteen minutes, when Jallow made a hash of Lake-Gaskin’s cross - allowing Keen an easy tap in from close range.

Nine minutes on, Keen grabbed his second – and his eleventh of the campaign so far – when he ran onto Hamilton’s flick, before seeing his deflected strike loop past a hesitant Jallow and into the net.

It was soon three-nil after a flowing Rugby move, starting with skipper Nik Preston breaking confidently from the back and ending with Hamilton turning home a well-delivered Lake-Gaskin cross.

Referee John Burridge then spotted an infringement in the Town penalty area - much to the amazement of most others in the ground - and United striker Ricky Pither stepped up to slot home the spot-kick on 34 minutes.

The hosts continued to push forward for the remainder of the half though, with Jallow keeping out Craig Reid’s shot with a one-handed save, and then the erratic keeper’s leg denied Hamilton in a less conventional manner.

Luke Leahy also screwed one wide from a dangerous position ahead of the interval.

The pattern of play was replicated in the second half, although Town lacked their previous incision in the final third of the pitch.

Ross Miller did crash one back off the crossbar though and Keen had a couple of chances to complete his hat-trick, before Booth headed in Leahy’s free-kick to the near post on 79 minutes.

United created little to trouble the Valley back-line throughout the game, although keeper Pete Smith had to quick off his line a couple of times to deny runs through the middle from Pither midway through the second half.

Late opportunities continued to come Rugby’s way, with Tyrone Fagan failing to square the ball across to his fellow sub Michael Williams and being tackled instead, and Keen’s stooping header just off target, as he continued his search for a treble.

With the game deep into stoppage time, Greenford’s Aaron Samuel grabbed his side a second when he did well to create some space for himself in the box before firing low past Smith.

Valley line-up: Smith; Moran, Reid, Preston, Booth; Allen, Miller (Banks), Leahy; Keen, Lake-Gaskin (Williams); Hamilton (Fagan). Sub not used: Wesley, Gundelach. Booked: Allen.