Horror show for Valley as search for league win stretches to ten matches - The Rugby Observer

Horror show for Valley as search for league win stretches to ten matches

Rugby Editorial 3rd Nov, 2016   0

Loughborough Dynamo 3-2 Rugby Town

Evostik NPL – South Division

Match report by Jon Venner

FOOTBALL: A FIRST half horror show by Town condemned them to a fourth straight league defeat at the Nanpantan Sports Ground on Tuesday evening, with the hosts ending their own run of seven consecutive NPL losses in the process.




Valley were three down within a quarter of an hour, and although they rallied a little after the interval with first goals of the campaign for Aaron Moses-Garvey and Charlie Faulkner, they just failed to salvage a much needed point from the affair.

Rugby boss Gary Moran was forced into three changes from the encouraging performance at the weekend at Chasetown, with Anthony Charles, Kyle Rowley and Lewis Rankin all missing out on a start through injury. Kyle’s brother Mason stepped into his younger sibling’s boots alongside Blaize Punter, who along with Leigh Phillips made a first Town league start.


Whilst the game’s first chance did fall to the visitors when Moses-Garvey volleyed weakly at Liam Sharpe, Dynamo were soon blitzing a woeful Valley and took the lead on just four minutes thanks to a neat finish from close range by Jack Oldham.

It was soon two-nil when Louis Connor spilled a shot from a central position by Tom Waumsley, and then Rowley marked his returning debut by deflecting in a cross from the left for the home side’s third on fifteen minutes.

Loughborough could have easily added to their tally ahead of the break, with Lavell White volleying just wide and Connor parrying away a further effort by Waumsley.

Chris Sterling’s off-target strike and a strong penalty appeal after David Kolodynski had tried to weave his way through the box were rare moments of hope for Town from their dismal opening period.

However the restart signalled a marked improvement by the visitors, and Phillips was soon driving forward before slipping a pass onto Kolodynski – who made a yard before powering one just over the target from the edge of the area.

Town did pull one back on 69 minutes though, when a Moses-Garvey pull across the box was handled, and the same player stepped up to stroke his spot-kick past Sharpe.

Another powerful cross by Moses-Garvey was then met by Sterling, but his first-time effort went wide and substitute Faulkner also dragged one the wrong side of the frame after a mistake in the Dynamo defence.

Faulkner had another great chance after fellow sub Danny Campbell had picked him out, but the midfielder’s low shot from close range was straight at the legs of Sharpe, with White then striking the Town post with a curling shot.

Campbell and Faulkner combined well again to further reduce the arrears with five minutes of normal time remaining, when the former released the latter for a clear run on goal, and Faulkner did well to keep his composure before beating the keeper this time.

Scott Hadland screwed a late half chance wide, but it was ultimately too little too late for Town.

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