TOWN TOIL TO TENTH STRAIGHT HOME WIN

Promotion-chasing Rugby were made to work hard for a tenth successive Butlin Road victory by a North Greenford side that played most of the match with ten men.

By Jon Venner Tweet

Photo: Martin Pulley

Striker David Kolodynski fires in a shot during the second half against North Greenford before Valley finally broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute

All three goals came in the final eighteen minutes of the game, after an unchanged Rugby had struggled to break down United’s resolute back-line – with their offside trap in particular catching Town out on countless occasions.

Greenford’s John Sonuga was perhaps harshly red carded after he fouled David Kolodynski when the striker was potentially about to break through on goal in the first attacking play of the game.

The resulting low free-kick by Sam Belcher was taken by keeper Lee Pearce, and Kolodynski twice went close with an angled volley and an audacious 45 yard attempted chip.

However generally Town’s forays forward were frustratingly ended by the official’s flag, with their best chance of the first half seeing Pearce use his ample body to good effect to smother Fazel Koriya’s effort at close quarters.

The first real chance of the second period fell to the visitors, with Dave Bevan’s strong palm pushing away Liam Hind’s first-time shot.

After that scare, the pattern of the first half returned though, with Kolodynski blazing over the bar and debutant Andrew Spencer also sending one high of the target with his first involvement from the bench.

Pearce then saved another Kolodynski volley from a wide position and Alex Gudger just could not get a decent contact to Spencer’s dangerous corner, before Lewis McBride finally broke the deadlock when he finished off Belcher’s through-ball on 72 minutes.

Five minutes later, Belcher’s expertly curled free-kick made it two and Kolodynski then somehow blasted wide of an open goal after McBride had picked him out at the far post.

With the visitors’ resistance now broken, Kolodynski and Mason Rowley had further efforts blocked, before Kolodynski finally did get himself on the scoresheet when he ran through onto Spencer’s pass to round Pearce and finish off from a tight angle.

Valley Line-up: Bevan; Austin, Myles, Rowley, Gudger; McBride, Koriya (Spencer), Youngs, Blythe, Belcher; Kolodynski. Subs not used: Booth, Palmer, Maisiri. Booked: None.

North Greenford line-up: Pearce, Hillier, Ridvan, Taylor, Sonuga, Hind, Joseph, Jackson, Drake, Nicholls, A.Morgan. Subs: W.Morgan, Obeng, O’Connor