RUGBY TOWN: Two more games to complete the season

Supporters welcome at presentation evening
David Kolodynski is four goals ahead in the challenge for the Golden Boot awardDavid Kolodynski is four goals ahead in the challenge for the Golden Boot award
David Kolodynski is four goals ahead in the challenge for the Golden Boot award

Rugby Town’s first season in the Midland Football League will come to an end on Saturday, as they round off their mixed campaign with a home game against Loughborough University.

Valley had managed to hang onto a sixth place berth – their highest of the term – despite last weekend’s 4-3 defeat at Westfields, but their hosts’ subsequent draw at Coventry United on Tuesday evening saw them push Dave Stringer’s side down a spot in the table.

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Town’s fall in the rankings could have been much worse over the last week though, but fortunately many of the results in the Premier Division went their way – after a number of the teams below them caught up on their respective fixture backlogs.

Ahead of the University match at Butlin Road, Rugby make the short trip to Coventry United tonight (Thursday), where they will face a side that had already played on both Monday and Tuesday – on the back of three outings the previous week.

The reverse league fixture between the two local rivals ended all square at 0-0 back in October, although Town did start their season with a 2-1 victory over United in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round at the Butts Park Arena.

The visit of Loughborough will give Rugby the opportunity of a third double of the season, following their comfortable 3-1 win at the students’ home in the first game of the 2018 calendar year.

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Town’s only other home and away successes to-date have come against Boldmere and Sporting Khalsa.

Ruben Wiggins-Thomas, David Kolodynski and Sam Belcher were all on-target in that January match, but Wiggins-Thomas’s chances of catching Kolodynski in the club’s scoring chart appear have disappeared after he missed the Westfields trip with an ankle injury – with Kolodynski then stretching the lead over his strike partner to four goals in the game’s first half.

Wiggins-Thomas is also doubtful for both of Town’s remaining fixtures – meaning the in-form Stuart Hendrie is likely to continue in a more advanced role.

Hendrie was also on target at Westfields – making it six in six games for the brother of ex-Aston Villa player Lee, although he did miss a first half penalty at the Allpay Arena at the weekend – Town’s fifth miss from the spot this season.

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# The club’s presentation evening will take place in the VS Bar and Hospitality suite tomorrow Friday (4th), with the event set to kick-off at 7pm.

All supporters are welcome to attend.

# Rugby Town FC’s Youth Team Manager Josh Hearne-Wilkins is holding an event next Thursday (10th) for existing and prospective players and parents to meet up and review the current year and discuss the plans for next season too. The Butlin Road session is scheduled to start at 7.30pm.

Players need to be at least 15 years old by August 31st 2018 and under 18 years old on that date too. For further information, email Josh at [email protected].