Late show from Rugby keeps title ambitions on track - The Rugby Observer

Late show from Rugby keeps title ambitions on track

Rugby Editorial 11th Mar, 2020   0

RUGBY Town’s four-week break from match action was ended in fine style with a 3-1 comeback win over Boston Town on Saturday.

Two late goals from Kurtis Revan and Danico Johnson gave Valley another vital three points in their push for the United Counties Premier Division title, after Dylan Parker had cancelled out Luke White’s opener for Boston on the half-hour mark.

The Butlin Road hosts showed no signs of rustiness on their return to the pitch after a frustrating month of postponements, going close twice through Justin Marsden in the opening stages.

Boston also posed a threat, clipping the top of Matt Hill’s crossbar when Alex Beck flicked on Lee Beeson’s free-kick.




Their attacking intuition eventually bore fruit in the 27th minute when a ball found its way to White, who hammered the ball into the top corner with a fine first-time strike from the edge of the penalty area that left Hill stranded.

Rugby were gifted the opportunity to issue an immediate response just seconds after the restart when Johnson was brought down inside the area, only for Ryan Seal’s subsequent spot kick to be well kept out by Travis Portas.


A prompt leveller did arrive despite the penalty miss though, as Parker dispatched clinically from Johnson’s lay-off two minutes later.

After the two sides headed for the changing rooms locked at one goal apiece, it was Boston who enjoyed the best spell towards the start of the second half.

The visitors would have gone in front, had it not been for a stunning one-handed save from Hill to keep out Beck’s effort, while a swerving drive from Beeson flashed narrowly wide of the mark.

Carl Adams’ decision to introduce Caine Elliot, David Kolodynski and Revan injected a fresh lease of life into Valley as momentum changed hands.

It was the returning Kolodynski, Rugby’s all-time top scorer who last week rejoined the club until the end of the season, who played a key role in the go-ahead goal, teeing up Revan to blast low into the corner with seven minutes to go.

While Boston goalkeeper Portas was beaten, he almost subjected Hill to the same fate when meeting a late corner kick with his head – only his heroic attempt to be cleared off the line by Keenah Rosser.

A quick break followed after the close call, as Rugby put the seal on the three points through Johnson’s composed finish in the third minute of stoppage time.

Fourth-placed Rugby, who sit six points off leaders Quorn with two games in hand, visit second-bottom Sleaford Town on Saturday (3pm).

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