RUGBY Town’s dismal FA Trophy record continued with another exit at the first hurdle – this time at Southern League side St Ives Town.
In the Sunday afternoon sun there was a laid back feel to the whole affair but it was Valley who struck first when David Kolodynski finished clinically first-time after Callum Powell’s attempted throughball was deflected into the path of Valley’s top scorer.
However the home side turned the game around just after the half hour mark. Firstly Jack Higgs bounced a 25-yard curling free-kick over Raajan Gill’s desperate dive then Stuart Eason headed in from close range after a corner.
St Ives started the second half strongly and the pitch appearaed to catch out Gill again for the third goal when striker Danny Watson’s low strike evaded the Rugby goalkeeper to find the corner.
It was soon game over as Charlie Deeth connected with a low whipped cross with a well timed diving header.
Rugby grabbed a consolation late on after Kevin Thornton’s attempted one-two with Kolodynski appeared to go wrong before the flame-haried Irishman won back possession and tucked the ball into the corner.
But it was too little to late as Valley crashed out of the competition.
