FOR the second time in three days, Rugby Town surrendered a lead and this time ended up empty handed from an at-times niggly Evostik NPL – South Division encounter against Stamford at Butlin Road on Tuesday evening.
David Kolodynski’s 67th minute strike had broken the deadlock in what had been to that point an evenly-contested affair, but the visitors grew in stature after this and a Jevani Brown double saw them return to Lincolnshire with the three points thanks to a 2-1 win.
With Louis Connor’s international clearance now confirmed, the keeper replaced Ben Heath between the sticks in one of two changes to the line-up from the weekend draw at Gresley, with Aron Wint also in from the start this time.
The first real chance of the game fell to Stamford, when one-time Town favourite Delroy Gordon ghosted in at the far post to stab the ball wide of the target.
Sam Belcher and David Kolodynski both put in wayward efforts for Rugby in a generally scrappy opening half an hour to the game.
Connor did well to push away a Ryan Robbins’ shot, after the Daniels’ winger had broken clear down his side’s left – with the keeper quickly to his feet again to block the rebound attempt from Elliot Sandy.
Belcher then registered Town’s first on-target strike, but it lacked the power to trouble Peter Denton, before Robbins was again through on the left after a misplaced Aiden Print pass. However Connor again got something on the end-product – with Jason Lee ultimately hooking the loose ball away from the goalmouth.
In the closing minutes of the opening period, Kolodynski did well to cut inside and curl one just the wrong side of the post.
Rugby started the new half with their best spell of the game, with Belcher dragging one wide after Wint had beaten his man and pulled the ball back into the midfielder’s path.
Kolodynski also squandered a decent opportunity by volleying over Belcher’s flick-on, but he made no mistake shortly after by tapping home after he had played a neat one-two with strike partner Jake Woolley.
Stamford were soon level though, when Brown showed quick feet to dance past a couple of Rugby players before firing low past Connor from the edge of the box.
There only ever really looked like one winner from there, as the visitors upped the pressure with their direct style of play.
This strategy eventually paid dividends in added-on time, when Paul Malone’s long ball was controlled well by Brown, who went on to beat Connor for a second time with a composed finish.
