Rugby Town 1-5 The Mikes

Rugby Town 1 Boldmere St Michaels 5
Northern Premier League Midland Division
Saturday 18 November 2023

You wouldn’t have seen the final score coming, with twenty minutes gone. Both teams got straight down to business, with Rugby initially in the driving seat. Justice Campbell shaved the post from thirty-five yards with only a minute on the clock. A long free kick into a crowded box saw Callum Smith only able to get a feeble punch on the ball, which eventually drifted across the goal mouth for Ryan Sahota to scramble it home; but muted celebrations, of what would have been a deserved lead, were explained by the offside flag ruling the effort out. Once David Kolodynski had been clobbered from behind for the third time in four minutes, the yellow card appeared, Kai Knight the unfortunate recipient. With Daniel Gyasi making his debut, the Mikes’ passing was somewhat disjointed, their hosts moving the ball around like a well-oiled machine. Even so, once the half hour arrived, the tide palpably turned, Boldmere now attacking with menace. After both teams had gone close, the first goal arrived two minutes before the break. A flowing move down the right saw the resultant cross arrive at Harry Sweeney’s feet. He converted from five yards out. From now on, Rugby were chasing the game, and having to throw men forward - leaving them weakened at the back.

Boldmere continued to create chances after the interval, Sweeney and Gyasi soon going close. As the hour approached, a stunned silence greeted their second goal, Ben Usher-Shipway celebrating on his own after running in from the left and sliding the ball netwards. It is a truth universally acknowledged that, when a team is two goals down at home, it is the officials’ fault. A noisy, partisan crowd advised our referee to “get a grip”, and after consultation with his linesman, the most vociferous home dugout member was next in the book. The third goal was not to be denied, however. A Gyasi free kick, twenty-five yards out, flew past a five-man wall and gave home keeper Nykah Liburd-Hines no chance. The crowd’s frustration was soon taken out on Callum Smith, who turned his ankle over while falling over a free kick. Great ire from behind his goal! More anger followed when no foul was given after a home defender had gone down. Totally unfazed, our referee awarded him a yellow card for simulation! The homesters gamely continued to try to get back into the game, the visitors busily breaking up their rhythm, refusing to let them settle. At times, Boldmere passed the ball around to play out time, but were wise enough to know that attack is the best form of defence, Owen Parry nearly connecting with a Sweeney cross, Andre Brown skimming the bar at the end of a penetrative run. The weaker home spirits had headed home when goal four arrived, courtesy of Johnny Johnston (much to the delight of his grandma, sitting in the stand) with four minutes of standard time left. You smelled some recompense when the hosts gained a free kick just outside the penalty area; and sure enough, seasoned striker David Kolodynski made nonsense of a four-man wall by curving in a peach of a shot. Unabashed, Parry ran at the opposing rearguard - and smashed in a fifth, from twenty-five yards. Thus, the Mikes concluded a performance marked by concentrated effort, and self-belief in the face of early pressure.

Rugby Town: Nykah Liburd-Hines; Andrew Wooldridge; Josh Thomas; Liam Francis; James Mace; Caine Elliott; Ryan Sahota; Claudio Dias (Courtney Lashley 58); David Kolodynski; Jordan Wilson; Justice Campbell (Omreiki Myles 75).
Subs. not used: Edwin Ahenkorah; Silvano Obeng.

Boldmere St Michaels: Callum Smith; Lewis Allison; Kai Knight; Joe Hull; Ricardo Dudley; Jack Byrne; Ben Usher-Shipway; Callum Gittings (Andre Brown 83); Owen Parry; Daniel Gyasi (Johnny Johnston 74); Harry Sweeney.
Subs. not used: Ryan Boothe; Ross Evans; Tazivaishe Chibaya.