RUGBY HOLD STAFFORD IN TROPHY

10-man Rugby Town held Evo-Stik League Northern Premier side Stafford Rangers at Butlin Road to force an FA Trophy replay on Tuesday night.

By Jon Venner Tweet

Photo: Martin Pulley

Rugby's Alex Austin battles for possession in the second half when Valley were down to ten men for the majority of it

This incident packed Trophy saw Rangers' Jimmy Turner 53rd minute equaliser cancelling out Fazel Koriya's first half opener against the run of play.

In fact, the drama started even before the original tie had kicked off last Saturday, with Rugby’s Mason Rowley and Tyrone Fagan clashing heads in the pre-match warm-up – leaving both players with gaping wounds and Rowley shipped off to hospital after a bout of concussion.

Ross Miller stepped into Rowley’s shoes at centre-half, but only lasted until a minute after the interval when he was harshly dismissed for a second booking after handling in the penalty area.

Stafford's Michael Carr missed the resulting spot-kick, although the visitors did then go on to equalise Fazel Koriya’s opener to earn themselves a replay.

Carr was the next to see red, when he was sent-off just before half-time in the second game.

Ten man Rangers then went ahead through Quinn’s penalty a minute into extra time, and despite being further reduced to nine not long after, Rugby were unable to make the breakthrough - as the hosts booked a second round qualifying tie at home to fellow NPL club Ramsbottom.

Koriya’s strike at the weekend came after Stafford had dominated the opening half an hour of the game, with Ellis Myles twice blocking efforts on the goal-line from Lee Downes and Simon Everall respectively – the Downes one coming after Dave Bevan had pulled out a particularly impressive stop to Everall’s initial shot.

Craig Kelly was also on-hand with a last ditch tackle to deny Carr, before Town struck against the run of play on 39 minutes, when Koriya applied a smart finish to a free-flowing move that included contributions from Robbie Banks and Kelly.

Koriya nearly made it two shortly after when his volley from ten yards was stopped on the line by Ryan Dicker – with the referee ignoring Valley’s claims that he had done so with his arm.

Miller’s sending off on 48 minutes changed the complexion of the game though, but whilst the luck was with Rugby as Carr blazed his penalty well-over, Jimmy Turner’s neat strike from twenty yards five minutes later did go in off the inside of the post.

Town responded well to the setback, and Ed Booth’s looping header came back off the crossbar, before Stafford keeper Adam Alcock made an excellent one-handed save to Richard Blythe’s well-struck rising effort.

At the other end, Carr also hit the woodwork, and Quinn then squandered a good chance, but despite their numerical disadvantage Rugby generally coped well with whatever Rangers threw at them in the final half an hour of the game.

Valley Line-up: Bevan; Myles, Kelly, Booth, Miller; Austin, Amory (Palmer), Banks, Blythe (Allen); Koriya, Lake-Gaskin (Gudger). Subs not used: Fagan. Booked: Miller. Sent Off: Miller.

Stafford line-up: Alcock, Espley, Brown, Walshe, Dicker, Carr, Turner, Downes, Everall, Heler, Pitt. Subs: Quinn, Sheldon, Forde, Davies, Read. .