RUGBY Town came from behind to record their biggest victory of the season so far at Romulus and keep their surprise Evostik North Premier League South Division promotion charge very much alive.
Dale Belford’s side were in clinical mood and scored five goals for the first time this season as they thumped their opponents 5-1 on an artificial surface last Friday.
Belford made one change to his starting line-up from the weekend defeat at Shaw Lane, preferring Solihull dual-registered Nat Kelly at left-back to Tom James, but it was the home side that created the game’s early chances.
Jake Donnelly fired over and Valley keeper Sam Andrew then saved well at the feet of Keen after a Roms’ corner.
Kevin Thornton did put a half-chance wide of the target for the visitors after he had cleverly made space for himself in the box, and David Kolodynski looked to have given Town the lead when he lobbed home, but the strike was ruled out for offside.
Keen struck though on 16 minutes when he prodded in from close range after Malachi Farquarson had headed a long free-kick into his path, but this advantage only lasted five minutes.
Callum Powell’s low finish into the corner of the net gave Rhys Bills no chance after Kolodynski’s initial wayward shot had been blocked.
With both sides now trading attacking blows, Keen dragged one just wide and a sensational 25-yard half volley from Rugby skipper Steve Towers flew just inches away from the top corner.
Another Keen strike was easily saved by Andrew, before a dramatic end to the first period saw Valley score twice and the hosts miss a great chance – all within just a couple of minutes.
First Kolodynski raced onto a lobbed through ball to hold off his marker and fire in low from the angle on 44 minutes, and then Kolodynski did well in the area to tee up Mitchell Piggon to loop the ball in from eight yards for Town’s third.
There was still time ahead of the interval for Charisma Agbonlahor to strike the ball at Kelly on the line with the goal gaping, after Keen had lifted one onto the crossbar.
Rugby started the second period well enough and Bills made an excellent save in turning Thornton’s effort around the post.
However Romulus were far from out of the game, and they wasted a number of one-on-ones in close succession, with Keen twice denied by Andrew and – with the pick of the opportunities – substitute Chad Degville-Cross somehow pulled the ball wide.
In between these missed chances, Kolodynski put one into the side netting and Tom Ryan headed past the post, before the points were all but secured on 56 minutes when Kolodynski grabbed his second from close range by following up on Piggon’s saved shot.
Town’s fifth went to Thornton, when he side-footed the ball into the corner of the frame after Kolodynski had again shown good composure to set him up, allowing the visitors to coast through the remaining twenty minutes or so.
Kolodynski missed a decent chance for his hat-trick late in the game when Bills saved his shot, after the striker had beaten the Roms’ offside trap.
