RUGBY
MAKE POINT AT NORTHWOOD
Rugby
Town came away with a deserved point in Middlesex
despite going ahead twice in a thoroughly entertaining
game at Northwood on a bright late autumnal afternoon.
By
Craig Webb
Photo:
Martin Pulley |
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Star
Man Luke Leahy, scorer
of the first goal for Rugby, jumps to
celebrate with Seb Hamilton's
after the striker put Valley ahead in
the second half. |
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Manager
Dave Stringer kept with the side that lost narrowly
to Daventry in midweek with Ben Steane suspended
and new signing Richie Allen on the bench.
Town
started the match more sharper and brighter than
their hosts with the impressive Michael Williams
and Luke Keen having early shots which tested
Derek Lewis in the Northwood goal.
So,
it was no surprise when birthday boy Luke Leahy
scored his first goal for the club in the 17th
minute.
The
19 year-old, who went on to have a great match,
latched on to an accurate pass from Keen and with
only Lewis to beat looped his shot over his head
and into the net.
He
nearly scored again a few minutes later but his
effort was way over the bar from Tyrone Fagan’s
ball.
Rugby
at this stage were firmly on top, but Northwood
were starting to get back into the game midway
through the half.
Goalkeeper
Pete Smith produced a cracking save from Ronayne
Marsh-Brown’s free-kick and from the resulting
corner, Gary Moran scrambled the ball away from
danger.
With
both Ben Alexander and substitute Jonathan Constant
having really good chances for the home side it
was a blow to Rugby when they equalised just before
half time.
Tall
striker, Oliver Hawkins leapt the highest from
an incoming ball, and his downward header directed
past Smith into the bottom corner.
The
beginning of the second half saw chances fall
to both sides in a free flowing game, with Keen
having a great shot saved by Lewis after breezing
past defender Liam Hind.
Keen
claimed an assist for Seb Hamilton’s goal
which put Rugby ahead for the second time. His
cross into the box came off Fagan, and the ball
came to the striker who couldn’t miss from
ten yards.
Within
seven minutes though, Northwood had again got
the scores level, when Constant hit a speculative
shot which Smith initially saved but in no danger
inexplicably spilled the ball and watched forlornly
as it went behind him and into the net.
Unfortunately,
Rugby had a nightmare minute and a half when Northwood
went ahead nearly straight from the restart when
Hawkins claimed his second goal, the striker in
acres of space with time to unleash a shot, Smith
had no chance with and probably still thinking
about his error for the second goal.
Boss
Stringer made a number of subs, hoping that Rugby
might force a draw and was delighted when Hamilton
scored his second of the match and seven for the
season with just five minutes to go.
A
pinpoint cross from Leahy found the striker and
his header went way over Lewis to hit the back
of the net.
Despite
the point, Rugby now slip to 13th in the table
with only two wins out of ten league matches.
Valley
line-up: Smith; Williams, Leahy, Preston,
Moran; Gundelach (Allen), Banks (Austin), James,
Keen, Hamilton; Fagan (Wilson). Sub not
used: Da Costa. Booked:
None.
Northwood:
Lewis, Mensah, Marsh-Brown, Grant, Hind, Sharples,
Hutchinson, White, Hawkins, Alexander, Morlese.
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