Justin Marsden scored the equaliser as Rugby Town secured a backs-to-the-wall draw at FA Vase holders Newport Pagnell Town.
Both the game's goals came within a minute of each other early in the second half. with Rugby leading a somewhat charmed life thereafter to ultimately maintain Carl Adams's side's seven match unbeaten start to the new campaign.
Adams made one change from the team that had navigated their way through the FA Cup tie at Studley the previous weekend, with Luke English in for Drew Kear at right wing-back.
It was a cagey start to the game by two sides tipped to be challenging for the divisional honours come the end of the season, although Justin Marsden fired one over the bar early on and Town keeper Matt Hill did well to tip Christian Smail's volley over at the other end.
Hill was then quickly off his line to thwart Mo Ahmed's attempted header to a long through ball, with the Rugby keeper also keeping out Russell Short's effort from the edge of the penalty area shortly after.
Swans' keeper Martin Conway then managed to gather a curling Marsden cross with Caine Elliott poised to pounce, before Shane Bush broke down the hosts' left hand channel to force another decent save from Hill.
Hill denied Bush again after a Newport corner had led to a goalmouth scramble, although the final opportunity of the first half fell to Rugby when Ellliott mistimed his shot from a good position after a scramble in the opposite box.
It was Elliott that conceded the penalty with the new period just five minutes old, when the ball bounced up onto his arm, giving home skipper Ben Shepherd the chance to stroke home from the spot.
The Town response was virtually instantaneous though, with Marsden getting enough power on his strike to beat Conway after David Koldodynski had shown an excellent touch before cutting the ball back into his path.
Dan Summerfield then blazed his shot well over the bar after Ryan Seal's initial free-kick from a dangerous position had cannoned back off his own team-mate, but it was a rare attacking highlight for Rugby, with the hosts at times laying siege in their search for a winner.
Albie Hall was blocked out by Keenah Rosser, Jake Newman blazed one over, Russell Short's volley bounced just wide and another Hall effort drew a decent stop from Hill, with Valley's only real effort of note sandwiched in between these when Kolodynski cut inside to fire one straight at Conway.
A fine saving tackle from Loyiso Recci thwarted Newman in front of goal, with Hill also blocking Bush's shot on the turn as Rugby's resilient resistance continued.
Kieran Barnes' strike bounced back off Hill's body and Hall headed Barnes's corner over the bar, before Town nearly fashioned an improbable winner when Kolodynski and Kear broke quickly late-on but they were unable to create a shooting opportunity from it.
Valley Line-up: Hill; Rosser, Francis, Recci; English (Kear), Summerfield, Fitzharris, Elliott (Lock), Seal (Semahimbo); Marsden, Kolodynski. Subs not used: Bodycote, Thomas. Booked: Kolodynski.
Newport Pagnell line-up: Conway, Pryke, Short, Smail. Ahmed, Powell, Barnes, Shepherd, Hall, Bush, Ford. Subs: Sage, Wright, Newman, Webb, Hirst. |