LOCAL FA CUP DERBY ENDS ALL SQUARE

Rugby Town played out a draw in the FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round against Bedworth United in a real local derby at Butlin Road.

By Jon Venner Tweet

Photo: Martin Pulley

Valley striker Tyrone Fagan equalised in the first half after an excellent break by Craig Kelly

This tight cup encounter ended all square with Valley good value for the draw after Tyrone Fagan equalised for Rugby on 38 minutes – in reply to an opener twenty minutes earlier from Tom Byrne.

Byrne and Fagan’s first half goals were two rare moments of goalmouth action, in a typically highly-charged local derby cup tie.

Byrne headed home Ashley Robinson’s pull back from the left to give the visitors that early advantage, but Rugby responded well before the interval when Fagan’s low deflected shot beat Kemp after good work out wide from Kelly.

The hosts carved out the better opportunities in the opening exchanges of the second half, with Richard Blythe lifting one just wide, Craig Kelly testing Andrew Kemp with a particularly well-struck free-kick and Seb Lake-Gaskin blazing one over the bar from the edge of the area.

United fought back well though as the game progressed, and Town keeper Dave Bevan pulled off a fine stop after substitute Aaron Donaldson broke free in the penalty box, and then Robinson hurried his shot - when he could have taken the ball on closer to the target.

Late drama came after Lake-Gaskin picked out Blythe whose stabbed effort was then helped home by sub Seb Hamilton, but unfortunately the striker had strayed just beyond the last Bedworth defender.

Valley Line-up: Bevan; Myles, Kelly, Booth, Rowley; Williams, Banks, Allen (Ruff), Blythe; Lake-Gaskin, Fagan (Hamilton). Subs not used: Austin, Gudger, Evangelinos. Booked: Allen.