FA Trophy – Preliminary Round
Original tie: Bedworth United 3 Rugby Town 3
Replay: Rugby Town 0 Bedworth United 2
RUGBY Town ultimately fell at the first hurdle in the FA Trophy for the sixth season in succession, after a disappointing display in defeat against their local rivals in Tuesday evening’s replay at Butlin Road.
However they will be left ruing the opportunity for success that they threw away in the original game at the Oval at the weekend, when they let a three goal lead slip by conceding a treble in the final quarter of an hour.
A Lewis Rankin brace and a well-struck free-kick by Jake Woolley appeared to have given Valley a big enough cushion over their direct hosts last Saturday in a game marred by the horrific injury to Rugby defender Elliot Palmer.
Rankin opened the scoring for the visitors shortly before the break by slotting home Wilson’s lay-off to Jon Bukasa’s ball into the box.
This opening goal clearly buoyed Valley after the two sides re-emerged from the break as Faulkner was soon lifting one over from the edge of the area and Kolodynski spurned a glorious opportunity for Town’s second when striking a post after he had bamboozled his marker, but his side did not have to wait too much longer to extend their lead when Woolley’s excellent dead-ball strike from 20 yards sailed past Martin.
Rugby’s third did come though on 63 minutes, with Kolodynski the provider with a low cross which ultimately fell to Rankin to finish into the corner.
But the Greenbacks’ introduction of veteran campaigner Iyseden Christie from the bench helped turn the game and set up the midweek showdown for a place in the First Qualifying Round of the competition.
The impact of Christie began to tell though, and a makeshift Town back four started to creak against the route one football of the hosts. Archer’s powerful rising effort was well-saved by Connor, but the in-form Valley keeper then failed to deal with Daniel Kavanagh’s hanging cross and it fell to Luke Rowe to drill home from the edge of the area.
Archer’s powerful header to Marsden’s corner reduced the deficit further with ten minutes remaining, and then another headed finish – this time by Christie to a Nathan Haines’ hook across the box – levelled the scores on the day.
After a relatively encouraging hour or so at the Oval in Tuesday evening’s return game, it was in comparison a disappointing follow-up by Valley, although perhaps the replay may have taken a different course had Kolodynski not missed a sitter in the opening minutes when he helped the ball the wrong side of the post.
The visitors’ then went to find their stride after the half an hour mark, with Connor once more a busy man keeping out a string of Bedworth efforts.
Connor then denied Blythe after the restart, whilst also touching Brehon’s strike onto the base of the past, before the visitors’ breakthrough came on 52 minutes when Brehon scuffed one home this time.
Further good saves by Connor to Archer and Daniel Creaney followed, although Rugby did mount one mini-spell of pressure which saw Martin beat away a well-struck effort by Kolodynski and then Rankin could have done better when blazing the ball over the bar.
However once United had steadied themselves again, the outcome of the tie looked secure and Christie rounded off the scoring from the spot in stoppage time, after he had been tripped in the penalty area by Aiden Print.
