Monday 2nd January 2023
UHLSPORT UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE – PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH
COGENHOE UNITED v RUGBY TOWN
Compton Park,
Brafield Rd,
Cogenhoe.
NN7 1ND
KO 1-pm
The Cooks play host to leaders Rugby Town on Bank Holiday Monday with the game kicking off at the earlier time of 1 pm.
The Valley are currently ten points clear at the top, although Coventry Sphinx have three games in hand and already have a better goal-difference with the two still to meet in the city, so they will be looking to keep things in the own hands with three more points at Compton Park on Monday. They have won seven straight games in the league, although this run has seen them go out of the Vase and the County Cup, but after several years of not quite making the promotion spot, Carl Adams will have his mind-set fixed on a return to Step 4 football in the summer. They have netted ten goals in their previous two games, a 5-3 win at Coventry United’s 3G pitch when everywhere else had fallen to the freezing conditions, followed by a 5-2 home win over strugglers Lutterworth Town on Boxing Day. The league’s leading scorer Jordan Wilson bagged a brace in the latter game against his former club, making it nine goals in ten appearances for the Warwickshire club, adding to the twelve in twelve he had bagged for the Swifts earlier in the season. The clubs all-time record scorer David Kolodynski sits one ahead of him with ten goals so far this season, whilst Ryan Seal also has nine goals to his name.
The Cooks put an end to their three game losing streak when they picked up a point in a 1-1 draw at home to fourth placed Wellingborough Town over Christmas and a similar result would be a good achievement from this tough fixture as they prepare themselves for a relegation battle in the new-year. Will Bates put the Cooks ahead with a super strike from 25-yards right at the start of the second half, but Charlie Green headed the Doughboys level with 89 minutes played straight after the controversial sending off of Luke Andrews. Ash Bodycote played a starring role in goal for the Cooks in that game, but he won’t be available for this one as his loan spell from Rugby Town ended after that game. The club are trying to extend his time at Compton Park, but as we are playing his parent club they are not going to let his play against them, especially after his man-of-the-match performance last time out.
We have already met at Butlin Road on the opening day of the season, a game that Rugby won by two goals to one. Archie Elmore gave us the lead from the penalty spot, but Ryan Seal levelled things up before the break and Justin Marsden fired home the winner mid-way through the second half. The last meeting here just under a year ago with Rugby edging a tight game 1-0 with sub Max Johnson scoring the decisive goal nine minutes into the second half after coming on at the break.
