RUGBY Town gained some revenge for their opening day thrashing at Loughborough by recording a comfortable 4-1 victory in the return game in the Evostik NPL – South Division at Butlin Road on Saturday.
The result was never really in doubt after Valley skipper Steve Towers had given his side the lead within two minutes two more goals from the spot by David Kolodynski ahead of the interval meant the hosts were able ease up in the second half against ten man opposition.
Rugby boss Dale Belford made one enforced change to his starting line-up, with Jake Healy replacing the unavailable Kevin Thornton, and the fans were soon celebrating when Tom Ryan flicked on Kurtis Revan’s corner to allow Towers to bundle the ball home from close range.
Revan was also involved in the game’s second goal when his strike to Jake Healy’s cross was handled on the line by Carl Sibson – an act which saw the Dynamo man dismissed and a spot-kick awarded.
Kolodynski duly struck the penalty past the left hand of ex-Valley youth team keeper James Martin to extend the advantage, and it was nearly three when Towers again was on the end of a Revan corner to head home, but the goal was chalked off after the set-piece was adjudged to have drifted beyond the by-line.
The third did soon come though and again it was from the spot after Joe Pheasant had illegally halted a Towers’ spurt into the box, with Kolodynski coolly picking the same side for his 12 yard delivery.
Revan’s low shot from the angle was well-kept out by Martin shortly after the restart, before Loughborough had their best period of the game – with Kevin Hemagou going close by heading wide a Leon McSweeney free-kick.
The visitors gained some reward for their efforts after a third penalty of the match was awarded nine minutes into the new period when Sam Warburton fouled Leandro Browne, with Danny Edwards subsequently sending keeper Sam Andrew the wrong way from the spot.
McSweeney then swung in a couple of testing corners, the second of which saw Chris Tullin do well to beat Ramousse Cisse to the ball and head behind, and in increasingly difficult conditions Andrew was at full stretch on the by-now greasy surface to gather substitute Eddy Samba’s low effort.
Any lingering Valley doubts were expelled on 78 minutes though, when Tullin’s searching pass released Kolodynski and he sent the ball under Martin’s body towards the goal – with Powell sliding in to beat Edwards to add the extra touch needed to help it over the line.
Revan blasted one way over the bar and Kolodynski had another decent chance ahead of the final whistle.
