Hot pre-season form continues for Rugby Town - The Rugby Observer

Hot pre-season form continues for Rugby Town

Rugby Editorial 20th Jul, 2017   0

FOOTBALL: A STRONG-looking Rugby Town dominated proceedings at Butlin Road on Saturday by defeating Nuneaton Griff 9-1.

There was a hat-trick a piece for new forward partners Ruben Wiggins-Thomas and David Kolodynski while midfielder James Dance also chipped in with a brace with Mason Rowley completing the scoring for Valley.

New full-back Liam Holt was unavailable due to holiday while Trey Brathwaite is still recovering from an ankle injury.

Dave Stringer handed a starting place to trialist winger Chadd Birch who was with Willenhall Town last season.




Wiggins-Thomas opened the scoring when he headed in Craig Kelly’s left wing cross from close range before Danny Taylor’s deflected effort from outside the area did get Griff back on level terms briefly.

But Rugby were soon ahead again as Wiggins-Thomas turned neatly and fired into the roof of the net before Dance skipped through a couple of challenges down the centre of the pitch before slotting home easily.


Dance got his second with a volley from the edge of the box from Josh Ruff’s lay-off before Kolodynski repeated the trick with a dipping 25-yard strike into the top corner.

Mason Rowley headed in the first goal of the second half from a corner to take the tally to six before sub Harry Holloway teed up Kolodynski with Wiggins-Thomas firing in his hat-trick.

Kolodynski got the chance to complete his hat-trick with the last kick of the game from the penalty spot after right back Aiden Print was pushed in the box and he made no mistake with the penalty.

Town defeat Hinckley

A NINE goal victory against Nuneaton Griff was followed up on Tuesday night as Rugby Town continued their unbeaten pre-season with a win at Hinckley.

Although Hinckley play one tier below Town in the MFL Division One, they provided a strong and well-organised test for Dave Stringer’s new-look side.

Stringer made just one change from the warm-up win over Nuneaton Griff with returning forward Tevin Shakespeare taking the place of David Kolodynski who was rested to the bench while Trey Brathwaite and Liam Holt remained unavailable.

Both sides started brightly with close shaves at either end before Rugby opened the scoring when trialling winger Chadd Birch pounced on a weak back header to lob a nice finish past goalkeeper Josh Hartopp into the net.

After the goal was Rugby’s best spell of the game with Ruben Wiggins-Thomas looping a header over at the far post after Josh Ruff’s cross followed a flowing move.

Captain James Dance flashed the ball across goal after a neat turn in the area before Wiggins-Thomas really should have scored when he capitalised on a poor back pass but after rounding the goalkeeper he was thwarted by a covering defender inside the six yard box.

Wiggins-Thomas was soon to be on the scoresheet when he nodded in at the far post from Shakespeare’s superb cross from the left to make it six pre-season goals so far for Valley’s new striker.

The customary raft of second half substitutions appeared to favour Hinckley as they were much stronger in the second half.

Dance struck a rasping shot just off target from the edge of the area before Hinckley’s Sam Agar was sent clean through on goal after long ball but Niall Cooper was off his line quickly to smother the ball at the striker’s feet.

Isaac Cooper shot from edge of the area straight at Niall Cooper before Agar worked some space on the edge of the area but curled his effort just wide.

Mitchell Tomlinson headed wide from corner before substitute Kolodynski dragged a shot wide after Dance had presented him with an opportunity.

The hosts got a goal back with ten minutes remaining when a direct ball down the left released Isaac Cooper and his cut-back left the simplest of finishes for Agar from close range.

Hinckley almost levelled late on but for an excellent piece of defending from trialling centre half Sean Castleton who slid in to deny a goal after Isaac Cooper had beaten Niall Cooper to the ball.

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