LATE GOAL CURSE OF PENYDARREN STRIKES AGAIN!

David Kolodynski netted his first hat-trick for the club but it was not enough to seal a victory away to high-flying Merthyr Tydfil.

Kolodynski's treble takes the 19-year old to twelve goals this season and represented the first away hat-trick scored by a Valley player for over four years.

For the fourth consecutive visit to Merthyr, Rugby ended up surrendering a lead despite being ahead by two goals at half time and then again in the second half.

Valley started reasonably well and got a reward on 19 minutes when Matt Gearing released Kolodynski who just beat goalkeeper Andrew Delve to the ball in the penalty area and then belatedly fell under his challenge.

The assistant was on hand to award the penalty and Kolodynski stepped up to send the ball high into the net.

The Martyrs, who boasted a run of eight successive wins coming into the game, were clearly not on top of their game and only threatened sporadically.

Valley doubled their lead when the excellent David Stone showed his pace and touch to beat two Merthyr defenders down the right before delivering an inch-perfect cross to the back post which Kolodynski duly converted.

Merthyr came out all guns blazing in the second half and they upped their direct game up a notch or two, sending balls into the penalty area from all over the park.

They got a goal back just after half time when defender Dale Griffiths powerfully headed home from a corner.

Rugby were then delivered a gift of a goal. Stephan Morley's looped pass looked aimless and hopeless but Merthyr goalkeeper Delve made an absolute hash of it, punching the ball backwards towards goal and allowing Kolodynski the easiest of finishes from close range.

Again with a two-goal lead, Rugby sat back and invited the pressure from Merthyr's direct play.

The Martyrs found themselves level with two goals in the space of two minutes twelve minutes from time.

Both goals were of similar fashion with too much time afforded to the Merthyr right back who delivered two crosses into the danger area.

Firstly, substitute Marcus Griffiths poked the ball home on the turn after a goal-mouth scramble and then in a carbon copy of the first, after another cross from the right and scramble in the area, fellow sub Ashley Evans smashed home the equaliser.

Rugby were again suddenly sparked into life and the game could have gone either way in the last ten minutes.

Valley had two glorious chances to take home all three pointsfrom Penydarren Park for the first time since 1987 as Stone released substitute Dave Pearson who raced clear one-on-one only to shoot straight at Delve before an unmarked Scott Musgrove shot wide from 12 yards after Neil King's cross from the right.

Merthyr almost capitalised again from mayhem in the Rugby penalty area but a block from Morley and point blank saves from Andrew Stevens saved a point.

Valley Line-up: Stevens, Nicell, Morley, Breward, Gordon, Gearing, King, Musgrove, Kolodynski (Pearson), Stone, Purton. Subs not used: Woodall. Booked: None. Sent off: None.

Merthyr Line-up: TBC. Subs not used: TBC.

Report by RTFC Online.