RUGBY TOWN 1-1 AFC RUSHDEN & DIAMONDS: FULL MATCH REPORT...

Rugby & Rushden Rustle Up Late Rally In Butlin Road Rain

Rugby Town 1-1 AFC Rushden & Diamonds

The final half-hour of this rain-soaked game in cold Warwickshire conditions, saw both teams go close to scoring on a number of occasions, as defences scurried and became desperate not to concede. True, Diamonds had lost two of their defence-men to injuries and Liam Dolman and Jack Ashton were certainly missed. Rugby really worked hard though and their lowly league position was puzzling, after competing well and contributing to what was a fair result, I reckon. Following a robust opening half both teams lacked penetration, despite a number of Diamonds corners adding pressure to the home defence. The Rowleys and also Elliot Palmer, wearing 18, three times the number he should have worn, battled with resolve for the hosts and kept out their guests. A couple of long shots were struck with venom but after the interval a decent start by the visitors was interrupted by Chris Sterling’s looping header which beat Ben Heath between the AFC sticks. The reply was well struck by impressive Diamond midfielder Nic Evangelinos and this return to parity heralded a busy remainder to the game during which both teams caused panic for their opponents.

THE SKIPPERS TURN THEIR BACKS ON THE TOSS...

As the match hurried to a finish, a couple of Rugby supporters urged the female referee to end the proceedings but surely the derogatory and sexist remarks I heard from them were unnecessary by grown men… 

Early flag-kicks for AFC brought no reward although an Ashton leaning effort at the far stick was deflected behind but then a decent 25 yard drive from Evangelinos rose only just too high, as home ‘keeper Louis Connor flew and grasped only fine rain. Home forward Sterling looked lively on occasions and he leaned back to shoot over the AFC crossbar, following a throw on the right, before Heath rushed from goal to grab a loose ball as the same forward hovered. Sterling’s subsequent shot on the run struck the familiar farming frame of Dolman and ricocheted for a corner, after an Evangelinos free-kick at the opposite end had slapped into the Rugby defensive wall. A skirmish in midfield led to visiting skipper Rich Bunting being cautioned, along with Rugby’s Hadland and before Ashton was hurt, then replaced by Ben Ford, another flurry of Rushden corners saw one Evangelinos delivery brilliantly headed clear by Halsall who was working so well for his team.

AWAITING A RUSHDEN CORNER...

Kyle Rowley intercepted a low left-side centre by the guests and his touch rolled agonisingly wide of his own left upright before home wide-man Charlie Faulkner took up a quickly taken free-kick but drove the ball from the right low across the face of Heath’s goal, causing little fuss. The rain persisted, the cold became colder, the fans changed ends and the players took a deserved break from the adverse weather conditions. Neither team had impressed at all although the home defence had kept strong and as forwards, Shariff for the visitors and Sterling for the hosts, had at least mounted a little threat. Hadland had proved a powerful figure in the home midfield alongside the driving Halsall and for the guests, Evangelinos had featured strongly and not only for his set-piece deliveries. Skipper Bunting had been effective on occasions too.

RUGBY GO UP THE TOUCHLINE...

THE REFEREE DEALS SUPERBLY WITH THE SILLY LADS...

Certainly the second period was quite an improvement on the first and it was Rushden who provided the initial danger when first Shariff’s short cross from the left byeline was kept out at the near post by either, or a combination of Halsall and Connor, before a right-side centre caused disarray in the home goalmouth. However Dolman was hurt and soon replaced by Lewis Leslie, meaning a disruption to the AFC defence. Right-back Brad Harris and midfielder Tom Lorraine held the middle of the zone with the two replacements on the flanks. Shariff clipped an angled cross onto the roof of the net and another effort was deflected but the hosts held on through a sticky period, then exploded with a superb 28 yard drive from Hadland which wasn’t far wide of the left upright. Faulkner was cautioned for a pointless pull of an opponent’s arm and then the hosts stunned the guests by opening the scoring. 

MONSIEUR DOLMAN, BUILT LIKE A WORLD WAR TWO PILLBOX...

...BUT HE LEAVES, HURT...

A diagonal left-wing centre by striker Daniel Campbell dropped short and was ducked for by Sterling, Ford was beaten to it and the striker’s looping header beat Heath completely as it dollied into the far corner of the net.

1-0: STERLING (10) CLAIMS THE GOAL...

VALLEY JOY...

HEATH DESPAIR...

Heath fielded a well struck shot by Faulkner but the guests soon scored to regain parity from a left-side free-kick delivered by Ford. Lorraine challenged aerially for it but the ball fell between scrambling defenders and allowed Evangelinos to fire a 16 yard rising drive into the roof of the net. Harris was soon cautioned for AFC and then both teams took it upon themselves to try to win the match. 

1-1...

GOOD STRIKE BY EVANGELINOS...

HAPPY COLLEAGUES TOO...

A near post header from a set-piece by Campbell flew right to left across the face of the Diamonds’ goal before Lewis Wilson, whose one header had looped too high and one shot had drifted way wide, was replaced for AFC by Taylor Orosz. Edji Mbenga replaced Faulkner for the hosts, then a splendid 25 yard effort from Halsall was smartly flipped over his crossbar by the leaping Heath. Jake Newman who endured a quiet forward game for the visitors on the whole, was beaten to a loose ball by Connor, Shariff was booked and then Rugby came so close to retaking the lead. A free-kick caused mayhem and although Emmitt Delfouneso was unable to get in a telling shot, the ensuing melee saw a poked effort by Halsall from 6 yards possibly slowed by Heath but there was Orosz on the defensive right post to scramble the ball away for a corner.

CAMPBELL (9) RUES HIS GLANCING HEADER MISS...

Mason Rowley threw himself in front of a low Shariff drive to concede a late corner to Rushden which caused a real mess in the Town 6 yard box, before the hosts managed to hack the ball clear. Hadland was replaced to waste valuable seconds and Harry Holloway entered the fray for a few moments but in truth a winner at that stage would have been cruel on either team. 

No shortage of effort in an improved second-half and the tension mounted as both teams might have snatched that elusive winning goal. The home defence did well enough following their concession of five goals a few days before but I would imagine that AFC would probably be disappointed not to have capitalised upon The Valley’s poor form of late…

ME? Left to rue the fact that home substitutes Aiden Print and especially Blaize Punter weren’t used… 

TEAMS:

RUGBY TOWN:

LOUIS CONNOR, EMMITT DELFOUNESO, MASON ROWLEY, JOE HALSALL (CAPT), KYLE ROWLEY, ELLIOT PALMER, CHARLIE FAULKNER, SCOTT HADLAND, DAN CAMPBELL, CHRIS STERLING, ADRIAN BOITOS.

SUBS:

HARRY HOLLOWAY, AIDEN PRINT, BLAIZE PUNTER, ANTHONY CHARLES, EDJI MBUNGA.

AFC RUSHDEN & DIAMONDS:

BEN HEATH, BRAD HARRIS, KYAL McNULTY, JACK ASHTON, LIAM DOLMAN, RICH BUNTING (CAPT), NABIL SHARIFF, NIC EVANGELINOS, JAKE NEWMAN, TOM LORRAINE, LEWIS WILSON.

SUBS:

TAYLOR OROSZ, SAM BROWN, LEWIS LESLIE, BEN FORD, MATT FINLAY.