Bugbrooke next for Rugby Town, mourning loss of another lifelong fan and volunteer

Director Mike Yeats has paid tribute to lifelong fan and volunteer Jim Dand, who has died at the ageof 94. They are pictured at Rugby Town’s awards evening in 2017 at the presentation of the Kit Dand memorial trophy for supporters’ player of the year. Jim’s wife Kit was also a loyal supporter of the club. ( Picture by Martin Pulley )

BY JON VENNER

Rugby Town’s home victory over neighbours Coventry United at a blustery Butlin Road on Saturday further cemented their fourth place berth in the United Counties Premier South table.

Two of three sides above them in the table dropped points over the last week, with Hinckley finally suffering their first UCL defeat of the campaign at home to Cogenhoe on Saturday and Newport Pagnell then only managing a draw against Wellingborough on Tuesday.

However 2nd placed Harborough’s two wins increased the gap over Valley to eight points, with the chances of Rugby ending up in the top two diminishing further in the process.

A 62nd-minute own goal by United’s Harry Sawyer was enough to earn Town a second consecutive 1-0 league success at the weekend, although the margin of victory would have been greater but for the inspired form of visiting keeper Reece Francis in the first half .

Francis pulled off a string of impressive saves to keep the scores level - the pick of which saw him fingertip Dan Summerfield’s angled volley onto the crossbar.

The decisive goal came after good work by David Kolodynski released Caine Elliott down Rugby’s right, and the midfielder’s dangerous ball across the goal was helped home by Sawyer under pressure from Danico Johnson.

Next up for Valley is another Butlin Road outing, with this time Bugbrooke St. Michaels the visitors.

Rugby returned from Northamptonshire with a relatively comfortable 3-1 victory in the reverse fixture in November, but after that Bugbrooke went on a seven match unbeaten run which only ended at home to Easington on Saturday.

With little more than a week to go to Valley’s crunch fifth round FA Vase tie at North Shields, there is encouraging news for manager Carl Adams with the potential return to action of influential full-back Luke English.

English was last seen in a Town shirt at Lutterworth seven weeks ago when he fractured his foot, but he warmed up with the matchday squad last Saturday and will be hoping to be at least on the bench for the Bugbrooke fixture.

Valley has lost yet another one of its valued family with the passing of lifelong fan and volunteer Jim Dand, aged 94.

Jim had followed the club home and away across seven decades, travelling thousands of miles across the country in the process.

Town Director Mike Yeats reflected on the latest sad loss for the club: “The last year has seen a number of important and instrumental characters taken from us - including Tony Mann, Ron Sheppard, Rev.Ken Baker and now Jim.

“Jim was Valley through and through, and he was an active fundraiser over the years and we send our thoughts to his family at this sad time.”