DOMINANT VALLEY TAKE THEIR TIME TO KILL OF OPPOSITION

Rugby Town made it three consecutive league victories although having taken an early lead against division whipping boys Woodford – they did not finally seal the win until a minute from the end of normal time.

By Jon Venner Tweet

Photo: Martin Pulley

Valley's Seb Lake-Gaskin is denied by Woodford goalkeeper Jamie Brassington in the second half at Butlin Road

Valley were on top for pretty much the entire game against a side that have now recorded eight straight Evo-Stik League defeats this season, and the margin of victory was only lessened by a combination of some wayward finishing and an inspired performance between the sticks by Woodford keeper Jamie Brassington.

Rugby manager Dave Stringer made two changes from the weekend success at Beaconsfield, with Sam Youngs and Alex Austin stepping up off the bench in place of Steve Palmer and the unavailable Richard Blythe.

Town were at the visitors from the off, and Youngs almost converted a David Kolodynski cross in the second minute, and then Kolodynski himself saw his goalbound downward header blocked shortly after.

Seb Lake-Gaskin shot wide, and Brassington then pushed away a low strike from Youngs, before Fazel Koriya gave Valley the lead on twelve minutes when he finished off Lake-Gaskin’s clever through ball.

Brassington then denied both Lake-Gaskin and Kolodynski, as the chances continued to come in abundance for Rugby.

At the other end, in a rare attacking highlight for United, Dave Bevan was smartly off his line to pad away Howard Forinton’s effort, after Alex Gudger had misread a long ball.

Youngs smashed his shot into the side netting, Koriya drew another fine save from Brassington after the move of the match which included a clever back heel from Kolodynski, and Lake-Gaskin again put one just wide, as somehow Valley returned to the dressing room at the interval only a goal to the good.

The visitors appeared to draw some hope from their first half escapes, and had their best spell of the game after the break – with Dior Angus spearing one narrowly off-target and veteran player/manager Forinton’s speculative lob from distance drifting the wrong side of the post.

Town took control of the game again though, but the second goal just would not come for them – despite the many opportunities they created for themselves.

Brassington was again the thorn in their side, with an excellent low stop at his near post to Koriya’s strike, before getting off his line quickly to block Lake-Gaskin’s effort – repeating the same feat shortly after when Youngs was bearing down on goal.

The clincher eventually came in the 89th minute, when Lake-Gaskin broke free across the by-line, before pulling the ball back for Rugby sub Palmer to stroke it home with the side of his right foot.

Valley Line-up: Bevan; Austin, Kelly, Gudger, Booth; Myles, Koriya (Palmer), Youngs, Banks; Lake-Gaskin, Kolodynski (Evangelinos). Subs not used: Wilson, Fagan. Booked: None.

Woodford line-up: Brassington, Hutchcox, Coleman, Kinch, Jackson, Fountain, Convey, Ulker, Forinton, Blake, Angus. Subs: McGannon, Roberts, Kabeya, R.Koriya, Liebscher.