UNBEATEN RUN FINALLY COMES TO AN END FOR OUT-OF-LUCK TOWN

Rugby Town’s long unbeaten run came to an end in Surrey at the weekend, but it was certainly an unlucky defeat that brought the end to their twelve match successful stint.

By Jon Venner Tweet

Photo: Martin Pulley

Rugby Town full back Ellis Myles marouds into the opposition penalty area during the first half at Guildford

Despite playing a majority of the second half with ten men after the harsh dismissal of keeper Dave Bevan, Rugby were still the better team throughout, and then saw their chances of salvaging point blown late-on when substitute Richard Blythe missed from the penalty spot.

An unchanged Valley starting line-up were at the hosts from the off, and Seb Lake-Gaskin shot wide early on.

David Kolodynski then blew a great opportunity to give his side the lead when he shot straight at City keeper Anthony Hall from a good position, after Lake-Gaskin had picked him out from the right.

Kolodynski had a couple of further efforts, before Sam Youngs missed another decent chance, after he had broken from deep and played a neat one-two with skipper Robbie Banks.

With Alex Gudger also heading wide from a couple of corners, it seemed only a matter of time before the visitors broke the deadlock – so therefore it came as a major surprise that it was Guildford that did so with their first meaningful attacking play of the half.

After Rugby had failed to deal effectively with a ball into the box, Craig Kelly was adjudged to have tripped Scott Todd – allowing Sean Rivers to step up and stroke home the penalty.

Lake-Gaskin went close before the interval, before Kolodynski atoned for his first half waywardness when he struck a great equalising free-kick into the top corner from at least twenty yards on 59 minutes.

Not long after this Rivers ran onto Dan Moody’s long ball, and he and Bevan collided just outside the penalty area.

Having awarded a foul, the referee decided the challenge warranted a red card - despite the striker appearing to be heading away from the goal.

With no recognised goalie on the bench, defender Mason Rowley took the gloves for Town.

The Moody-Rivers combination accounted for Guildford’s second, when the latter nodded home the former’s corner – but after this setback, Rowley was barely troubled again by a generally disappointing City side.

Ten-man Valley pushed hard in the final twenty minutes, but lacked bite in front of goal – with Banks, Kelly and Youngs all seeing their shots easily gathered by Hall.

However in stoppage time, it looked like they had finally been given their lifeline when Kolodynski was clearly upended in the box by Dammy Bada.

With regular penalty taker Sam Belcher now off the field substituted, Blythe took responsibility from the spot – but was denied by a low save from Hall.

Valley Line-up: Bevan; Myles, Kelly, Rowley, Gudger; Banks, McBride, Belcher (Blythe), Youngs; Lake-Gaskin (Booth), Kolodynski. Subs not used: Koriya, French. Booked: Kolodynski, Myles. Sent Off: Bevan.

Guildford line-up: Hall, DeFreitas, Rayner, Penson, Thoroughgood, Heavey, Moody, Guilford, Rivers, Todd, Bada. Subs: Kaffo, McPhail, Hall, Bradnick, McCabe.