VALLEY SEE OFF STUDLEY IN FA CUP OPENER

Rugby Town made safe progress through the FA Cup Preliminary Round with a comfortable win at Studley.

By Craig Webb Tweet

Photo: Martin Pulley

Rugby winger Fazel Koriya netted his first goal for the club with a 70th-minute penalty

With Town undefeated after two league games, they did not want to come unstuck against lower league opposition for the third year running.

Rugby had the perfect start after just eight minutes when Craig Kelly glided over a perfect cross for Alex Gudger to score his first goal for Rugby.

The home side responded with chances falling to Ross Dempster who saw his effort go wide and captain Scott Turner blazing his shot way over.

The rest of the half was all Rugby, asserting their position as the higher league club with good possession and creating a plethora of chances amongst them Seb Hamilton who turned two defenders before forcing a good save from keeper Sam Brady.

It was no surprise that the visitors doubled the lead in the 42nd minute with Seb Lake-Gaskin scoring his fourth goal in three games.

The striker made good pace shrugging off the slower defenders to deliver a cracking shot past Brady.

Early in the second half, Studley made a double substitution and this appeared to make the home side more threatening with Myron Semper impressing and reducing the deficit after beautifully curling his shot beyond Dave Bevan in the Rugby goal.

With Studley back in it, Rugby needed to step up a gear, and duly did when Fazel Koriya scored from the penalty spot in the 69th minute after James Robbins handled in the area.

This was after Town had a goal disallowed for offside when Richard Blythe tapped in from close range.

However, the midfielder capped a fine performance individually when he scored a very impressive fourth goal and finish off the game in the 86th minute.

A delightful ball laid on by Lake-Gaskin found Blythe who struck confidently and accurately from 18 yards out, to finish off Studley and cement Town’s progress to the next round where they will face arch rivals Bedworth Utd.

Valley Line-up: Bevan; Myles, Kelly, Miller, Gudger; Austin (Williams), Koriya, Banks (Ruff), Blythe; Lake-Gaskin, Hamilton (Fagan). Subs not used: Booth, Foster

Studley: Brady, Robbins, Lacey, Collins, Turner, Blake, Smith, Dempster, Rolfe, Thomas.