Attentions turns back to the league for Rugby Town - The Rugby Observer

Attentions turns back to the league for Rugby Town

Rugby Editorial 14th Oct, 2016 Updated: 27th Oct, 2016   0

RECENTLY installed Rugby Town boss Gary Moran takes his side back into league action this weekend, when Valley travel to Stocksbridge Park Steels for a NPL South Division encounter.

Moran has been busy reshaping his squad since his permanent appointment was confirmed a fortnight ago, with five players making season debuts for the club in the two FA Trophy matches against Bedworth alone.

Further signings were made after the tie, which saw Town once more fail to win a game in the competition – with more new faces possible ahead of the weekend fixture in South Yorkshire.

Lewis Rankin, Charlie Faulkner and Jordan Wilson all started at the Oval last Saturday, with Rankin marking his return for a second spell at Butlin Road with a double strike.




The 21 year old attacking player first signed for Town during the 2014/15 season, earning himself a contract for the remainder of it with a string of impressive displays. He left at the end of that campaign though, and has since featured for Chasetown, Coventry Sphinx and Brackley.

Faulkner is an 18 year old midfielder that Moran knows well from his time at Stratford, whilst fellow teenager Wilson is a product of the Shrewsbury Town academy who joins Rugby from Kettering.


Ex- Solihull and Bromsgrove defender Sam Delaney stepped in for the injured Elliot Palmer in Tuesday night’s Trophy replay, whilst Valley youth team graduate Harry Holloway also made his first appearance of the season from the bench in the same game – making it 38 players to have featured this season for Town in just thirteen outings to-date.

This number looks set to increase this weekend with the return of popular full-back Craig Kelly to Rugby colours.

Kelly left Butlin Road to join Bedworth just over a year ago after 118 starts across four seasons at the club, but returns after falling out of favour at the Greenbacks.

Moran has also secured the signature of another player he knows well from his Stratford days – versatile defender Emmitt Delfounseo.

Delfounseo was a regular in the Warwickshire club’s first season in the Southern League Premier Division last time out, but recently left to join Midland Football League Highgate before now agreeing to join up with his old assistant manager.

Town go into Saturday’s Stockbridge game three points adrift at the foot of the table, and will face opponents who have made a decent start to their own campaign with five wins and a draw from ten games currently securing them a seventh place berth.

Valley cruelly lost out at the Look Local Stadium last time out thanks to a 95th minute winner by the Steels in September 2015, and Moran will be hoping to recreate the promise shown in the opening hour of last Saturday’s game at Bedworth to try and end a seven game run without a win in all competitions at Jamie Vardy’s old club.

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