PROGRESS STILL ON TRACK DESPITE FRIENDLY DEFEAT

Rugby Town gave another decent account during a narrow pre-season friendly defeat to Blue Square North opponents Oxford City.

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Photo: Martin Pulley

Amidst the heavy second half rain, striker Tyrone Fagan battles for possessions.

Valley again were a match for their higher-league opponents and only lost out to an 85th-minute free-kick.

Dave Stringer was without the services of centre-back Ed Booth and winger Fazel Koriya meaning freshly signed full back Alex Gudger deputised at centre half with Richie Allen starting in centre midfield alongside Richard Blythe.

There was a first appearance on the bench of pre-season for striker Tyrone Fagan who has been missing to date due to holiday and a family bereavement.

Rugby made the early running with striker Seb Lake-Gaskin causing problems and his break down the right hand side almost presented an open goal for Seb Hamilton but Oxford's Venezuelan goalkeeper Miguel Jaimoz Ruiz did just enough to parry the ball away.

Lake-Gaskin's twisting run down the right created the best chance of the first half as he breezed past two players before standing the ball up to the back post for Robbie Banks but the midfielder's header never looked like finding the net.

The visitors looked dangerous from set pieces throughout the game and their first sniff at goal came when striker Nabil Shariff went close with a free header from a corner before
captain Wayne Blossom headed straight at David Bevan from a deep free-kick to the back post.

Gudger found himself in a sticky situation in his own box and Shariff saw his chance to steal the ball but he could only scoop the ball over the crossbar from twelve yards.

Gudger soon redeemed himself with an excellent ball from the back into the path of Hamilton behind the Oxford defence but the striker saw his chipped effort well saved by Ruiz.

Lake-Gaskin again found gaps in the City defence in the right-hand channel and his low cross was skewed against the woodwork by Oxford defender Adam Learoyd.

The second half saw an unprecedented amount of heavy rain which completely changed the flow of the game as the ball suddenly slipped off the surface and goalscoring chances became hard to come by.

Substitute Fagan saw a decent chance easily saved after he intercepted a pass in the Oxford half before Valley left back Craig Kelly showcased some fancy footwork to flummox his opponent before crossing for Fagan who could not get his header on target.

The only goal of the game came with five minutes remaining and was the result of a slip by Gudger.

Gudger's foul on former Premier League veteran striker Steve Basham would have been punished with a red card if it were not a friendly but Oxford substitute Jamie Cook dealt out the punishment himself blasting a low effort into the net from 25 yards.

Valley Line-up: Bevan; Austin, Kelly, Miller, Gudger; Williams, Banks, Blythe, Allen; Lake-Gaskin, Hamilton. Subs used: Fagan, Foster, Ruff, Mancuso, Evangelinos.

Oxford line-up: Ruiz, Gunn, Isaac, Alexis, Learoyd, Blossom, Woodley, Lyon, Shariff, Martin, Bell. Subs: Pond, Wilmott, Cook, Basham, Barcelos.