RUGBY TOWN: Shock win over second-placed Witton Albion

PICTURES BY MARTIN PULLEY

In their first of the back-to-back encounters with Witton, relegation threatened Rugby surprised their high-flying hosts with a 4-3 win.

Ryan Quinn put the visitors ahead within five minutes and it took until almost half time for the promotion-chasers to level. They then went ahead just after the break, before Chris Sterling equalised with the first of his brace just three minutes later.

Aaron Moses-Garvey then raised Valley’s hopes of victory in the 85th minute, putting them 3-2 ahead. In a tense finish it looked as if Albion had grabbed a share of the points in the third minute of time added on, when they made it 3-3. But much to the Valley supporters’ delight in the 99th minute Sterling’s second gave Rugby Town the win.

It keeps them third from bottom of NPL Division One South, but opens a four-point gap over Loughborough Dynamo, both having played 35 games, with Rugby on 26 points and Loughborough 22.

With two games in hand, bottom club Northwich Victoria are on 19 points.