VALLEY'S WINNING HABIT CONTINUES AGAINST CHALFONT

Sam Belcher's first half double helped Rugby Town strech their winning run to six games against Chalfont St Peter at Butlin Road.

By Jon Venner Tweet

Photo: Martin Pulley

Sam Belcher slots home his first half penalty short before he added a superbly-taken second goal to help Rugby to victory

Valley held on for victory, despite having to endure a nervy end to the game – after Jerome Okido snatched one back for Chalfont with ten minutes remaining.

Boss Dave Stringer made two changes to the side that had won by the same score the previous Saturday at Leighton – with Belcher restored to the line-up after injury in place of the unavailable Sam Youngs and youth team striker Nic Evangelinos handed a first league start as cover for the suspended Seb Lake-Gaskin.

It was a scrappy start to the game for both sides, although Fazel Koriya should have done better with a chance created by a neat headed flick-on by Evangelinos.

Saints’ skipper Adam Louth lifted one over from twenty yards and Craig Kelly did well to clear Gareth Paxton’s header from the goal-line, as the away side briefly threatened – before Rugby finally took charge of the first half.

Evangelinos was particularly unlucky not to open his tally in a Valley shirt – going close on three separate occasions, including one outstanding one-handed diving save from Chalfont keeper Michael Power-Simpson.

Belcher’s through-ball then found David Kolodynski on the run which was halted in the box by a clumsy challenge by Anthony Lennon, and Belcher stepped up to stroke home the awarded spot-kick on 28 minutes.

The midfielder’s second was a great volleyed strike from the edge of the penalty area, after Richard Blythe had done well on the right hand flank.

Belcher had a chance of a treble just before the break, but a deflection took the pace out of his shot and Power-Simpson gathered easily.

Chalfont had a good chance immediately after the restart, but Valley keeper Dave Bevan was down well to smother at the feet of Remmel Clarke, but normal service was soon resumed and Town pressed to put the game out of sight.

Koriya wasted a good chance after a clever back-heel from Kolodynski, Power-Simpson palmed away a low shot from Robbie Banks and a second opportunity from Banks saw the Rugby captain head straight at the keeper.

A couple of further chances went begging for the lively Evangelinos, with Power-Simpson again in good form to deny him when he was through on goal, and then the 18 year-old volleyed just wide.

Okimo reduced the deficit on 80 minutes when his swerving effort from distance deceived Bevan, prompting an inevitable tense finale to the game.

Bevan kept out Terrell Lewis’s low effort and then he was quickly off his line to stop Brad Wadkins, after the Saints’ striker had got in behind the Town back-line to have a free run on goal.

With the visitors pushing hard for an equaliser, gaps appeared at the other end too, and Kolodynski had a shot saved, with Alex Gudger also heading over.

Valley Line-up: Bevan; Myles, Kelly, Gudger, Rowley; Banks, Koriya (French), Blythe (Palmer), Belcher; Evangelinos, Kolodynski. Subs not used: Austin, Miller, Booth. Booked: Myles.

Chalfont line-up: Power-Simpson, Lewis, Okimo, Paxton, Lennon, Paine, Lewis, Hedley, Clarke, Wadkins, Louth. Subs: Tollin, Brook-Smith, Theodoros, Heneghan, Edwards.