RUGBY
STILL STRONG ON THE ROAD
Town
battled to a deserved single goal victory at near
neighbours at Byfield Road on Bank Holiday Monday
to maintain their 100% percent winning record
on their travels so far this season.
By
Jon Venner
Photo:
Martin Pulley |
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Rugby
Town celebrate midfielder Andy
Gundelach's eighth-minute
goal at Woodford which sealed three
points for Valley. |
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Andy Gundelach’s early strike
had given Rugby the best possible start. However
despite creating a string of further chances,
they were unable to add to their total and therefore
the sizeable contingent of away supporters had
to endure a nervous end to the game – played
on the usual Woodford sub-standard surface.
Dave Stringer opted for an unchanged
line-up for the game, although there was a place
on the bench for Danny Hall for the first time
this season.
Gundelach had already sent an
attempted lob just wide of the target, before
he struck home at the far post at the second attempt
after a Valley move that had included inputs from
Lee Miveld, Ben Steane, Tyrone Fagan and Seb Hamilton.
The home side did rally briefly,
with Ricky Johnson seeing his shot cleared away
from the goalmouth by Gary Moran after Glenn Hawkins
had picked out his strike partner.
However it was pretty much all
Town for the remainder of the first half, with
United keeper Matt Finlay kept a busy man by a
series of excellent chances.
First Wilmot saved well at the
feet of Richard Wesley after Fagan’s clever
touch had played him in, and then Fagan’s
back post header to Miveld’s cross was also
capably kept-out.
Rugby then had three opportunities
within the same attacking play – with Fagan
first denied by Wilmot, a Wesley shot cleared
off the line and Fagan’s final effort also
saved.
Late in the opening period, Louis
Connor pulled off a good save to keep out Hawkins’s
header and Johnson curled one just wide from the
edge of the area after Steane had lost possession.
Rugby were not quite as dominant
in the second half, as play generally became scrappier
and both sides bypassed the midfield zone with
a long ball strategy.
Chances continued to come Town’s
way though, with Hamilton the guiltiest of squandering
the opportunity of giving his side a much-needed
two goal cushion.
Early in the half, his touch let
him down when Gundelach found him in space in
the left channel, and he subsequently poked his
effort over the target.
In a similar move not long after,
there was an even better chance for Hamilton when
Fagan’s flick-on released him, but this
time the ball just would not sit right for the
burly striker and he failed to extend Finlay with
his shot.
Fagan and Wesley both had further
opportunities for Rugby, before the hosts had
their best spell of the game – during which
Connor made an excellent stop at the feet of Johnson
and Chris Davies curled one straight at the young
keeper.
Hamilton again lacked a clinical
finish with his third good chance when he shot
straight at Finlay, with Steane poking the rebound
wide, before a nervy end to the game saw Johnson
head onto the top of the bar from a free-kick
after Preston had been penalised for a foul.
Rugby line-up & ratings: Connor,
Moran, Reece, Preston, Gourlay, Gundelach (Evans),
Steane, Miveld, Fagan, Hamilton (Khan), Wesley.
Subs not used: Wilson, Da Costa, Hall.
Booked: Preston
Goal: Gundelach 8
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