RUGBY PICK UP STRATFORD SENIOR CUP BOOSTER

Rugby progressed through to the second round of the Birmingham Senior Cup after a veritable goal fest at Butlin Road on Tuesday evening.

By Jon Venner.

Photo: Martin Pulley

David Kolodynski's spectacular overhead kick set the basis for a comfortable win for Rugby Town

Once David Kolodynski had broken the deadlock with a spectacular scissor kick and then Stratford defender Mark Smith had slid one into his own net not long after, the outcome of the game was never really in doubt.

However Valley's spirited Midland Alliance opponents did at least look to make a fight of it in the second half, pegging it back with a goal a minute after the restart.

This sparked the home side once more though, and three Rugby goals followed in quick succession - with a further goal-a-piece for both sides in the final quarter of an hour of the game to round things off.

Kolodynski ended the night with another hat-trick - his third for the club, after back-to-back trebles mid-way through last season - making it nine for the season already for him.

Other bright spots from the night included a confident debut for new signing Sam Youngs, and he combined well with another recent new recruit Karl Fellows in the heart of midfield.

The visitors had actually had the better of the game's early exchanges and consequently also generated the better goalscoring opportunities. Fortunately, Andrew Stevens was once more in resolute form in the Rugby goal - keeping out James Hardie's deflected shot and Richard Masters' poked effort in the opening twenty minutes.

Valley finally began to get themselves going though, and Kolodynski drove one wide after good work out on the right from Shawn Richards.

Kolodynski was again off-target with a header, before he acrobatically converted Liam Nicell's deep cross on 36 minutes to open the scoring. Then Stratford's Smith and keeper Chris Mole got themselves in a muddle dealing with Matt Gearing's low ball into the box, with the former diverting it past the latter and over the line as a result.

Danny Lennon's angled chip flew over the head of Stevens and into the net just a minute into the second half though to make it 2-1, but the gap was widened again after Fellows emphatically planted his free-kick into the corner of the goal.

Chris McHale missed a good chance with a header for the away side, before Kolodynski added his second and his side's fourth - nipping in on Smith's back-pass, before rounding Mole and rolling the ball into the empty net.

Richards added a fifth just past the hour mark with a low finish past Mole, after substitute Allando Davis had skipped past three defenders and then released the ex-Northampton Town academy player.

Rugby appeared to switch off at this point, and began to look increasingly vulnerable against a side that play two levels below them in the non-league pyramid.

It was no surprise therefore when Lennon got in behind the defence and squared the ball across to give Stefan McGrath the chance of an easy finish against his old club.

McGrath went close again shortly after and Jozsef Jakab's close range header drew another fine stop from Stevens.

Kolodynski then showed good skill and pace in the Stratford box, which saw him taken out by Andy Crowther. The striker picked himself up and successfully converted the penalty kick on 80 minutes to complete the scoring for the night.

The hosts finished the game the stronger and Davis, Fellows and Youngs all had chances to add to their side's total in the closing stages.

Valley Line-up: Stevens; Nicell, Castleton, Gordon, Simpson; Gearing, Staff (Davis), Fellows, Youngs; Kolodynski, Richards. Subs not used: Bell. Booked: None. Sent off: None.

Stratford Line-up: Mole, Crowther, Masters, McHale, Smith, Warmer, Hardie, Faulds, Lennon, Jakab, Alsop. Subs: McGrath, Reeves, Stanier, Davis, Phillips.