RACING CLUB WARWICK 1-4 RUGBY TOWN: THE INDEPENDENT MATCH REPORT...

 Rugby More Efficient Than Stumbling Racers

Racing Club Warwick 1-4 Rugby Town

The Mowdog’s Thoughts…

I was suitably impressed by the changes which have been made to Townsend Meadow and as usual, my welcome there was a kind one. I wasn’t however privy to any names and numbers of the home players until some 18 hours later, although thanks to Rugby Town’s Twitter account, I was able to identify some of their players after spotting their line-up online during the interval. Apologies therefore for having to use numbers and not names during the match commentary. It was a bit like being involved in the famous TV series featuring Patrick McGoohan, ‘The Prisoner’, in which he was Number 6…

However, the match was played in hot conditions and after a slowish start, Rugby took command with their ability and expertise in attack, with Danico Johnson causing curious serious problems for the home defence, Justin Marsden’s movement forcing the Racers back into their blocks and David Kolodynski doing what David Kolodynski always seems to do when I am around: he scores… Ever since that late equaliser against Truro City many years back, he has been a player I have admired as a finisher and on this occasion he would not let me down…

The real catalyst for Rugby though was the releasing of Jordan Hayward to perform as a left wingback and once he forced the sound Warwick right-back Callum Maspers to drop deeper and not be so willing a supporter of home winger Ty Ruddock, the die was cast and RCW were put under pressure from their defensive right flank.

0-2 at the break, the visitors subsequently scored twice after the recess but that was slightly cruel on Warwick for their performance was considerably more focussed and less drab after the interval. Early forward replacement Jordan McKenzie had barely touched the ball before the break but he did manage to influence the game a few times later, as midfielder Luke Rowe and lively left-winger Sam Jackson produced more in the way of offense for RCW. Rowe’s goal was well struck but it always seemed that Danico Johnson would have some say in the result and indeed, he produced a goal and the final assist, for substitute Stefan Blake.

The other Town goal was knocked in by cheeky chappie Dylan Parker but home goalie ‘Lewis’ will still be wondering how he managed to allow the ball to pass by his face as one glove flailed but he perhaps anticipated a different attempt at goal than the flicked effort which gave the guests a commanding 0-3 lead.

‘Eli’ (number 10 for RCW) showed some neat touches, as did Ruddock on the right-flank but substitute Jagjit Aujla contributed rather well during the second period, often in defence. 

THE TOSS...

However, Rugby would not relinquish their lead and were rarely in too much trouble in truth, despite the improvement shown by their hosts as the game had worn on and more replacements had messed up the rhythm of play… 

The Valley midfielders Max Johnson, who was generally steady and thoughtful, plus Barry Fitzharris, who was strong, experienced and effective, made life hard work for the Racers…   

And so to the goal chances made, missed and scored, both before the break and afterwards, when Warwick had finally emerged from their sweat-shop changing room…

1st half…

MCKENZIE & RECCI...

Warwick managed a low drag across the 6 yard box by Gardner which visiting ‘keeper Ben Newey fell upon and a 27 yard effort from downtown by Jackson which drifted well off target but the closest they came to a goal was when Ruddock took on Liam Francis, right side of the 18 yard box, only for Newey to leap right to beat away the forward’s angled drive.

The guests though created more opportunities, after Danico Johnson had seen a low shot blocked by a Sacha Everald tackle and Marsden had stabbed wide from beyond the far right stick. An effort by Marsden which was going wide was unnecessarily pushed for a corner by ‘Lewis’, then the same Townman made a neat run and fired a good shot past the right angle of upright and crossbar. ‘Lewis’ knocked away an angled shot from the dangerous Hayward but soon, two goals came in fairly quick succession for The Valley, the first stemming from a left-side cross by Hayward which landed at the unmarked Kolodynski’s feet beyond the far post. He shot his angled effort low into the left corner of the net… Well, I was there, so he had to score…

0-1...

Goal two was the result of a short left-side corner, from which Hayward's centre found its way to Max Johnson at inside-right. His neat clipped assist found the totally free Danico Johnson under the crossbar at the left upright, who nodded the ball over the goal-line.

0-2...

On the whole though, Town’s defenders, Keenah Rosser, Lloyd Recci and Francis, had looked solid enough…

2nd period…

THE RESTART...

Rugby replacements Parker and the Number 16 caused a little hassle for the Racers at the start of part two but a fine tackle by Aujla prevented a goal. A Marsden effort was deflected too high and it seemed that no improvement was impending for the home fans to enjoy… 

However, improve their team did and the first chance fell to, er, Rugby defender Rosser, who nodded the ball over his own goalie at 18 yards but he was the quickest to react and got back to clear any imminent danger. Ruddock was denied by Newey in a scramble, then from Rowe’s pass, McKenzie attempted to lob the advancing Newey but his effort dropped over the target. Following a one-two with McKenzie, Jackson shot low and wide but just when hopes had risen for the Racers, they were lowered again by Valleyman Parker, who got clear when a long kick by Newey had been misjudged by the home defence and somehow, despite pressure from home left-back Dan Purvin, nudged a shot from the right corner of the 6 yard box. It somehow beat ‘Lewis’, passing his left ear as he waved an arm, probably expecting a more powerful shot…

0-3...

However, a tricky and enthralling run by Ruddock on the right led to a bit of a melee at the other end, Purvin knocked the ball back towards Rowe and his smartly struck 18 yarder flew past Newey into the bottom left corner of the net for 1-3…

1-3: ROWE IS PICTURED AFTER HIS GOAL, SECOND FROM LEFT...

A weak ‘Eli’ shot, a wayward header from skipper Mason Rowley, a low Jackson shot which flew straight to Newey and a ballooned curler by the same player which really annoyed him, were all that the Racers could muster, despite some territorial advantage. And then Rugby struck again…

Danico Johnson received a superb Josh Thomas pass at inside-left and shoved a low assist across to replacement Stefan Blake whose first, stabbed left-foot shot was weak but the ball bounced back to him and this time he belted it into the top right corner of goal, leaving ‘Lewis’ dumbfounded and the Valley fans raising their arms in salute behind the goal…

THE BENDING BLAKE HAS MADE IT 1-4...

Newey grabbed a late Purvin shot by dropping low, whilst at the other end, Danico Johnson curled a shot way off target from the left-flank and then another effort from the same place straight at ‘Lewis’ the home goalkeeper…

"WOT? ME A CHEEKY CHAPPIE? NO WAY, REF. JUST ASK THE LINO..."

Final words…

Thanks to RCW for finally getting some names to me and in all honesty, inside those large fencing cages, it was I who felt like The Prisoner… 

Can I be Number 17?

SQUADS (as far as I have them…):

RACING CLUB WARWICK:

‘LEWIS’, CALLUM MASPERS, DAN PURVIN, MASON ROWLEY (CAPT), RILEY KEASEY, TY RUDDOCK, LUKE ROWE, MATT GARDNER, ‘ELI’, SAM JACKSON, JAGJIT AUJLA, JUNIOR MPOFU, JORDAN MCKENZIE, SACHA EVERALD.

RUGBY TOWN:

BEN NEWEY, JOSH THOMAS, JORDAN HAYWARD, LIAM FRANCIS, LLOYD RECCI (CAPT), MAX JOHNSON, DAVID KOLODYNSKI, DANICO JOHNSON, BARRY FITZHARRIS, KEENAH ROSSER, JUSTIN MARSDEN, DYLAN PARKER, STEFAN BLAKE.