Rugby Town 2–5 Long Eaton United
A clash between two clubs at either end of the Pitching In Northern Premier League Midlands table was won by the side knocking on the promotion door
We’re in the crunch time of the football season, and the Pitching In Northern Premier League Midlands is no different. The final relegation spot looks to be a battle between Bedworth United and Rugby Town, and on Saturday Rugby welcomed high-flying Long Eaton to Butlin Road.
The visitors are set on securing second place, with Quorn already claiming the title (they have only lost one game this season). Rugby were on a mini-revival heading into this one with one loss in five keeping them in touch with Bedworth. This was always going to be a tough ask, however, and the early stages showed this.
There was a queue to get through the turnstiles when I arrived, and this was down to a lively group of Long Eaton fans making their way in. Throughout the afternoon they would be in good spirits and made plenty of noise, their flags moving around Butlin Road during the match.
On a windy day and in front of almost 300 people, Long Eaton started well and just seven minutes in they took the lead. It wasn’t the prettiest, and a crazy goal-mouth scramble which saw one effort cleared off the line was eventually put into the back of the net by Evan Garnett.
Rugby didn’t drop back after this, instead taking the game to their visitors. Two 1v1 chances were missed before Rugby then hit the crossbar, so inevitably it was Long Eaton who scored the second goal of the afternoon. Another set piece was the host's downfall, and this time an unmarked man at the back post could play the ball back across the goal for Owen Betts to make no mistake with the header, and with barely 20 minutes gone the visitors looked like they were going to run away with things.
The situation for Rugby was made even worse with just half an hour gone. James Shaw cut inside and his strike beat Valley keeper Paul Hathaway at his near post. Frustration and finger-pointing ensued in the Rugby backline, and there were some understandably solemn-looking home fans.
Despite the scoreline, Rugby had looked a threat going forward and just four minutes later the hosts made it onto the scoresheet. A Trey Charles cross was met by debutant Lucas Stanley who had come on as a forced early substitute. He did enough to get the ball over the line via the underside of the crossbar and it's what Rugby deserved.
Barely minutes later, the Rugby Town faithful were dreaming of the ultimate comeback when Harrison Nee was brought down in the box and a penalty was awarded. Charles slotted the penalty into the bottom corner and suddenly, we had a game again. Halftime had both sets of fans happy about what they had seen, and the longest queue I’ve ever seen for the bar at Butlin Road.
For the second half, I moved behind the goal in the large terrace stand, which was the goal Rugby were attacking. They would need the momentum to carry on from the first half if there was any hope of getting something from this game, but 10 minutes into the half the visitors restored their two-goal advantage.
Andrew Wright fired a ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the box and the effort wrongfooted Hathaway and Long Eaton were back in full control again. It was perhaps harsh on Rugby, but a lack of clinicalness was punishing. The second half saw both sides tussling for the ball in midfield, but Long Eaton didn’t need to press as much as their hosts.
Rugby had chances, a golden opportunity was missed when one of the strikers rounded the keeper only to fire wide, but with five minutes to go Long Eaton put the icing on the cake. Betts bagged his second and his side's fifth, and his dipping volley from outside the box was the pick of the seven goals.
An entertaining game and one that saw plenty of value for money, I rarely leave Butlin Road disappointed. Long Eaton look like a match for anyone in the playoffs, but a point elsewhere for Bedford at Worcester City might make Rugby’s efforts of survival a bit harder. Five games to go, the gap to safety is now four points but that huge Easter Monday game away at Bedworth could be one of the biggest games of the season in this division.
