FOOTBALL: Honours end even as Rugby Borough battle title rivals

Everards Leicestershire

Senior League Division One

Rugby Borough 2 Thurnby Rangers 2

Saturday saw leaders Rugby Borough hosting second-placed Thurnby Rangers, at a wintery and wet Kilsby Lane, in their first league meeting, writes Paul Collins.

Their previous encounter in the Beacon Hill Cup, saw Thurnby knocking Borough out on penalties, so one way or another it was going to be an important match.

The Borough lads got off to a great start, scoring their usual early goal inside five minutes, Adam Shaw slotting home from Alex Webb’s square pass, after captain Ryan Byrne started the break-away in his own half.

Minutes later Thurnby were awarded a penalty for a push in the box, putting the scores level, but incredibly within what seemed like seconds, they were awarded another penalty, which was struck into the roof the net.

At 2-1 to Thurnby the game became very competitive indeed, with both teams battling hard to gain the advantage. Borough went close with a header over the bar from a Byrne free kick, and keeper Logan Maketa made a good save tipping Thurnby’s effort over the bar.

Kane Finney was replaced by Jack Blackham due to injury just before the break.

Thurnby started the second half well, going close with an effort just wide of the post.

The pace of the game increased as Borough put in every effort to square the scoreline, the game becoming an end to end affair.

Byrne had a terrific shot deflected just wide, and an even closer ball came from Ryan Conneely when his superb cross just evaded everybody at the far post.

Maketa produced another great save low down to his left, tipping a curling shot round the post to thwart Thurnby again.

With 12 minutes left Thurnby were reduced to nine men after two sendings off from the same incident.

Borough now pushed for the equaliser and were rewarded in the 91st minute with Jamie Paye heading home a superb cross from Webb to earn Borough a deserved point.

Speaking after the game, manager Darran Tank said: “We made a good start going 1-0 up but I’m disappointed we gave away two penalties. Even so we huffed and puffed to create chances, and we looked lively when they had two sent off. We kept going and were rewarded with the late goal. Webby’s cross was a belter! The point was fully deserved, and it certainly felt like a win.”

Team: L Maketa, R Conneely, C Gamble, J Tank, J Henderson, J Lee, R Byrne, K Finney, J Paye, A Shaw, A Webb, subs J Taplin, J Blackham, J Finlay, L Corcoran.