ALL SQUARE ABOUT FAIR

Valley twice came behind to earn themselves a well-deserved point from an entertaining encounter at Butlin Road.

By Jon Venner Tweet

The Rugby starting line-up showed just one change from the weekend demolition of Ashford, with Alex Gudger replacing the unavailable Ed Booth at centre-half.

The visitors made a great start to the game, going ahead within a minute when Joel Mason struck from the edge of the penalty area after Lee Allinson had picked out his team-mate with an accurate pass.

Biggleswade continued to dominate the early exchanges. Brett Donnelly headed over from close range and Alex O’Brien’s low shot saw Dave Bevan down well to gather, as the away side created a series of good chances.

The hosts finally started to make an impression on the game though, and Seb Lake-Gaskin broke free down the left before his cut-back cross was only just shy of its target.

Fazel Koriya’s shot was then blocked and Lake-Gaskin lifted his volley wide, before Seb Hamilton had his side’s best chance of the first half when Waders’ keeper Michael McEntergart was quick off his line with a save after the striker’s powerful run into the box.

However Mason really should have made it two-nil just ahead of the break, when blazed wide from a great position.

Lake-Gaskin equalised five minutes into the second period, showing quick feet to skip past a couple of defenders before firing past McEntergart.

Ellis Myles shot high and wide of the target, and then another display of pace from Lake-Gaskin created a golden opportunity for Richard Blythe – but the midfielder scooped the ball over the bar with his left foot.

Hamilton had another strike saved by the Waders’ keeper, before Mason once more gave his team the lead when he took advantage of Ross Miller’s inability to deal with a long ball and then rounded Bevan to stroke the ball into the empty goal.

Valley lost their way a little after the goal, although Lake-Gaskin did go close with one rasping effort.

Dave Stringer’s men dug deep in the latter stages of the game though, and they got their reward when substitute Tyrone Fagan headed Koriya’s free-kick down into the net with just three minutes remaining to rescue a draw.

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

Biggleswade line-up: Michael McEntergart, Knight, Fehmi, Gatti, Matthew McEntegart, Allinson, Daniel, O’Brien, Donnelly, Woolf, Mason. Subs: Greene, Clifford, Reynolds, Arlick, Kilroy.