SPIRITED VALLEY LATE SHOW

An 88th minute David Kolodynski equaliser earnt Town only their second point of the season against Zamaretto Premier high flyers Truro at a blustery Butlin Road last Saturday.

By Jon Venner.

Photo: Martin Pulley

Late in the game, striker David Kolodynski deftly lifts the ball over the oncoming goalkeeper to claim a valuable point for Rugby

Kolodynski's fourth of the campaign so-far came as part of a late Valley rally in which Tony Dobson's men finally showed some much-needed character after having fallen behind to a Les Afful goal at the start of the second half.

Dobson made four changes from the side beaten in the F.A.Cup the previous weekend, giving a debut to new signing Karl Fellows, with Craig Herbert and David Staff returning to the line-up. There was also a place in the starting eleven for Shawn Richards in an unfamiliar striker role.

Rugby held their own in a first period which saw both sides trade chances - with probably the best of the half coming for Town after just four minutes when Kolodynski side-footed wide from no more than ten yards out with the goal beckoning.

At the other end, Andrew Stevens was down well to parry away Joe Broad's screwbacked shot and the Valley keeper also did well to fingertip Marcus Martin's header over the bar. City keeper Martin Rice was also at full stretch when dealing with Kolodynski's ball to back post.

Truro captain Jake Ash headed over and Scott Walker's cross into the box had just too much pace for Andy Taylor, as the visitors began to show the form that had seen them climb to second place in the table ahead of the game.

Town were caught napping at the start of the second half, when virtually from the restart Afful waltzed through the centre of the Rugby defence before applying a confident finish past Stevens to open the scoring.

The goal knocked the stuffing out of Dobson's men, and City controlled the twenty five minutes which followed and really should have put the game beyond the hosts in that time.

Martin Watts blazed a great chance over the bar from close range shortly after Afful's strike, and then Stevens denied both Afful and Watts with brave stops at their feet.

Walker also hit the base of the post with a cleanly struck effort after Marcel Simpson had failed to clear his lines effectively.

The home side had looked increasingly listless and bereft of ideas throughout this period of City dominance. However for the final ten minutes, Town dug deep into their reserves and with the switching of Delroy Gordon into an attacking role, they finally started to create chances of their own again.

Harry Donaghey, Kolodynski and Shawn Richards all had shots blocked in the same passage of play, with the referee dismissing the home side's penalty appeals for handball for the final block of the three.

After a further spell of Rugby pressure, Stevens's measured up-field clearance released Kolodynski behind his marker, and the forward applied a neat lob over the head of Rice to level the scores.

Kolodynski almost repeated the process a minute later, with Fellows this time the provider - but unlike for the goal Rice was able to get his fingers to Kolodynski's elevated effort.

There was nearly a dramatic finish at the death when Kolodynski smashed his shot against the woodwork angle, with Gordon helping the rebound over the bar from close range. Seconds later the referee blew his whistle, and the Valley faithful celebrated hoping this late revival proved to be a spark for further good performances and results.

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