LIGHTS GO OUT ON CUP TIE
Floodlight failure meant that Rugby’s Southern League cup tie was called off with a quarter an hour of the game remaining at Butlin Road on Tuesday evening.
By
Jon Venner
Visitors Leamington – who currently sit in second place in the league’s Premier Division – had brought along a practically full-strength squad for this Warwickshire derby, and they were leading thanks to a twelfth minute strike from James Husband when the lights dimmed prematurely.
After a ten minute or so wait and with no impending signs of an improvement to the situation, referee Shaun Barry decided to abandon the match - much to the disappointment of those both participating and spectating.
Leamington started the game strongly, with both Liam Daly and James Mace having chances ahead of Husband’s goal – which came after Valley had failed to clear a Ricky Johnson cross properly.
Town’s best opportunity of the first half fell to Nic Evangelinos, but his well-struck effort was saved by the feet of Brakes’ keeper Niall Cooper.
Evangelinos had two further chances near the start of the second period, first poking one wide and then seeing his lifted shot deflected away for a corner.
Rugby continued to look the more likely to score however, and Cooper pulled off an impressive one handed tip over to deny Sam Youngs from twenty yards, before the disruption and ultimate ceasing of proceedings came.
The re-arranged fixture will be played on Tuesday 30th October 2012 at Butlin Road, kick-off 7.45pm.
Valley
Line-up: Bevan; Austin, Kelly, Rowley,
Gudger; Myles, Koriya, Youngs, Palmer; Evangelinos,
Kolodynski. Subs not used: Banks, Booth, Hall, Wilson. Booked: None.
Leamington line-up: Cooper, Naylor, Morley, Adkins, Mace, Daly, Dodd, Taylor, Johnson, Moore, Husband. Subs: Magunda, Berwick, Chilton, Tiff, Ward. |
