SINGLE STRIKE SETTLES TOP OF THE TABLE CLASH

10-man Valley suffered back-to-back defeats after losing out to in-form Biggleswade Town.

By Jon Venner Tweet

For the second game running, Rugby were a man short for a significant portion of the game, with Sam Belcher getting his marching orders after two quickfire yellow cards.

Again Town conceded shortly after the blow, but then went on to push back their opponents despite their man disadvantage - without reaping a fair reward for their efforts.

The game’s first half had been an evenly split affair, with Rugby on-top for the opening twenty minutes or so and the hosts then ending the period the stronger.

Sam Youngs headed over and then the same player saw his shot saved from the edge of the area, with Seb Lake-Gaskin also testing keeper Michael McEntergart from a similar distance.

Valley’s best opening came after good work on the right from Lewis McBride, but David Kolodynski put the resulting chance straight at McEntergart.

As the first half balance shifted, Dave Bevan turned Jon Woolf’s strike around the post and Brett Donnelly hit the upright.

Belcher’s dismissal just ahead of the hour mark was shortly followed by the only goal of the game - with Craig Daniel firing low past Bevan.

The hosts looked nervy after this though, retreating into their own half for much of the remainder of the match.

However despite their dominance, Rugby did not carve out a stand-out opportunity – although both Kolodynski and Alex Gudger went close with free-kicks.

Kolodynski also flashed one across the face of the goal agonisingly out of the reach of Lake-Gaskin, and then late on McBride picked out Kolodynski, but his effort was blocked in the crowded box.

Valley Line-up: Bevan; Myles, Kelly, Rowley (Evangelinos), Gudger; Banks, McBride, Belcher (Blythe), Youngs; Lake-Gaskin (Koriya), Kolodynski. Subs not used: Booth, French, Palmer. Booked: Kolodynski, Rowley, Belcher. Sent Off: Belcher.

Biggleswade line-up:McEntergart, York, Iwediuno, Gatti, Gentle, Allinson, Daniel, O’Brien, Donnelly, Knight, Woolf. Subs: Clifford, Case, Barnes, Mason, Kilroy.