RUGBY Town’s promotion hopes were dealt a blow on Saturday as mid-table Potters Bar inflicted what could be a damaging 2-1 defeat after a poor second half performance from the visitors.
Manager Dave Stringer named an unchanged team after the win at home to Chalfont St Peter, to hopefully steer his side to victory in the first of three successive away games in the Southern League Central.
The hosts started brightly with Joshua Oyinsan seeing his shot go wide after some good work from Ben Bowditch initially shrugging the ball off Richard Blythe, to lay the ball to the forward.
The roles were reversed just minutes later when Oyinsan produced a good ball to Bowditch who with a one on one against Richard Morris dipped his shot wide and out of danger.
Rugby’s first chance came in the 16th minute. Striker Richard Gregory in good scoring form hit a superb volley 20 yards out, but the keeper Ben Goode produced a cracking save to divert the ball past the post although it may have been going wide anyway.
The visitors were getting more into the game and they deservedly took the lead in the 38th minute through Gregory.
A decent pacy run from Seb Lake-Gaskin down the wing saw him produce a lovely ball in the area and Gregory just had to tap the ball home despite the onrushing keeper for his fifth goal in four games.
Rugby were dealt a blow early in the second half when influential central defender Alex Gudger went off injured and Potters Bar came out with the real hope that they could get back into the game.
The equaliser came in the 57th minute when after an initial tackle from Mason Rowley, the ball fell to Josh Hutchinson who delicately rolled the ball into the goal despite a slight touch from Morris.
The hosts were clearly on top and Rugby could not get a foothold on the game. Bowditch again had a stinging shot which Morris managed to clip wide of the post.
And just before they got the winner Joe Bennett saw his goalbound shot take a deflection off home substitute Mark Brown to go wide.
Two minutes later however Hutchinson got his second when he connected superbly from a ball from Bennett and rose highest to head past Morris which proved to be the winner.
Rugby Town player ratings: Morris 7, Grocutt 6, Kelly 7, Rowley 6, Gudger 6 (George 6), Burns 6, Youngs 6, Blythe 6, Gregory 6 (Rankin 5), Lake-Gaskin 6, Marsden 6 (Koriya 5).
Subs not used: Bishop
Sam Youngs gets the ball under control. (s) Photo by Martin Pulley
Full back Craig Kelly in action against Potters Bar. (s) Photo by Martin Pulley
