RAMPANT VALLEY HIT FRONT RUNNERS FOR SIX

Rugby Town put on a real show to celebrate Non League Day by well and truly shattering Guildford City’s previously perfect start to the league campaign.

By Jon Venner Tweet

Photo: Martin Pulley

One of the hat-trick heroes Sam Youngs cannot believe his luck as he capitalises on a mistake in the Guildford defence to roll in his third goal into an unguarded net.

Hat-tricks from both Sam Youngs and David Kolodynski brought the visitors run of seven straight victories to an abrupt end in surely one of the best all-round displays recorded by the club in the Southern League.

Rugby made just one change from the side that had won the previous game at home to Woodford, with Mason Rowley restored to the line-up in place of the injured Craig Kelly.

Town were on fire from the off, and they took the lead after just two minutes when Youngs stabbed the ball home after a good team move that included Seb Lake-Gaskin, Ellis Myles and Kolodynski.

Lake-Gaskin nearly doubled the advantage shortly after, forcing City keeper Antony Hall into a good save, but it was not long before Rugby’s second came with Kolodynski providing an excellent finish after he had shook off the attentions of three defenders.

It was three with just sixteen minutes on the clock when Youngs scored the goal of the game with a fantastic strike from distance, after Myles had broke quickly.

Myles volleyed Kolodynski’s cross wide, before Youngs was in action at the other end with a well-timed challenge on Austin Gachery – just as the Guildford striker was poised to test Dave Bevan.

Youngs then completed his first-half hat-trick, capitalising on a misunderstanding between Hall and Jamie Thoroughgood to roll the ball over the unguarded net. Gachery gave his side some hope though, when on 35 minutes he scored from a tight angle to reduce the deficit at the interval. Town continued to dominate after the break and were rarely threatened at the back.

They got their fifth when Myles released Kolodynski down the middle, and he scored his second by neatly lifting the ball over the advancing Hall.

Kolodynski chipped over the bar in a subsequent move of similar style, with Robbie Banks the provider this time, but his hat-trick did come with five minutes remaining when he rammed home from close range after Alex Gudger’s low free-kick had been spilled by Hall – who was playing his 150th game for the Surrey club.

To compound the visitors’ misery, defender Simon Cooper was dismissed late-on for his second bookable offence – two of eight yellow cards somehow handed out in what was generally an innocuous encounter.

There was still time for Kolodynski to slide another chance just wide, after Lake-Gaskin had broke free down the left hand side.

Valley Line-up: Bevan; Austin, Gudger, Rowley, Booth; Myles, Koriya (Palmer), Youngs (Blythe), Banks; Lake-Gaskin, Kolodynski. Subs not used: Evangelinos, Hall, Wilson. Booked: Koriya, Lake-Gaskin, Rowley.