VALLEY SEE OFF DOGGED 10-MAN THATCHAM

Rugby Town kept up their promotion push with a ninth successive win at lowly Thatcham Town with Andrew Spencer's early goal deciding the game.

By Craig Webb Tweet

Photo: Martin Pulley

Versatile full back Ellis Myles provided the assist for Rugby's only goal of the game at Thatcham

The win keeps Rugby joint top of the table behind Burnham on goal difference while securing a club record equalling 9th straight Southern League win.

Spencer had given Valley a very early lead but then Thatcham played for over 80 minutes with 10 men after captain Matt Bowler was sent off for sending David Kolodynski sprawling in the area when he was through on goal.

Sam Belcher missed the ensuing penalty kick and the Thatcham goalkeeper Ashley West was in great form to make some excellent saves to keep the score at one but Rugby never really got going on a difficult, bobbly playing surface.

With the match against Aylesbury in his thoughts manager Dave Stringer rested Sam Youngs and Lewis McBride with Richard Blythe and Andrew Spencer coming into the starting line up.

Town made the perfect start scoring inside the first two minutes.

Ellis Myles crossed an accurate ball to find Spencer in space on the right inside the penalty area and the midfielder stroked the ball home from about eight yards out.

Striker Seb Lake-Gaskin nearly made it two just a minute later when his shot was saved by keeper Ashley West who kept the home side in the match.

With just 12 minutes gone, Rugby were awarded a penalty when David Kolodynski was brought down in the area by Matt Bowler.

The referee deemed the defender was the last man and duly sent him off much to the disgust from the sporadic home fans.

Sam Belcher was tasked to increase Rugby's lead but his soft penalty was comfortably saved by West.

With the impetus with Rugby despite the penalty miss, chances were few and far between with Blythe and Lake-Gaskin seeing their efforts going wide and Thatcham had their first shot on 24 minutes which was feeble effort by Sam Hamilton.

The second half and Rugby continued to lack the precise passing and good play from recent matches although the playing surface was rather bumpy.

Their best chance came in the 57th minute when Kolodynski delivered a perfect cross but Fazel Koriya couldnt stretch far enough to connect with ball to tap it in.

With referee starting to spoil the game with yellow cards Rugby tried hard to get the second goal with Kolodynski and sub McBride having late efforts but they did enough with a strong defence holding firm with whatever Thatcham threw at them which to be fair was not a lot as they did not a have shot on target for the whole of the half but they did well to restrict Town to just the one goal.

Valley Line-up: Bevan; Austin, Myles, Rowley, Gudger; Koriya, Spencer (McBride), Belcher (Youngs), Blythe; Kolodynski, Lake-Gaskin. Subs not used: French, Palmer. Booked: Austin, Myles, Kolodynski.