MIDLAND FOOTBALL COMBINATION
PREMIER DIVISION

Rugby Town (0) 2 West Midlands Police (0) 1

WIn perfect conditions at Webb Ellis Road (also home of Rugby Lions Rugby Football Club), a Police squad depleted by injuries gave a gutsy performance before going down by the odd goal in three and losing their place at the top of the league.

All three goals came in the first half. On eight minutes, the home side went ahead when a long ball to Lee McBain was headed on to Lee Lavery who saw his close range shot half blocked but the ball spun up in front of goal to leave him with a simple head-in.

Two minutes later, West Mids equalised when a long clearance from keeper Ross Bate was nodded down by Steve Piearce to Mark Bellingham who promptly returned the ball to Piearce who drove the ball home from just inside the box.

Rugby almost regained the lead on 24 minutes when a Lavery free kick was headed back across the face of the goal which beat Ross Bate in the Police goal but the ball hit the inside of the post and bounced back into Bate's arms. A minute later Rugby did regain the lead when Darren Harmon fed Mark Parsons who supplied a pin-point cross to Lavery who had time to pick his spot and fire home from 12 yards giving Bate no chance.

The rest of the game saw both sides create chances but a combination of near misses and some good saves from Ross Bate in the Police goal and Rugby's Sam Robbins meant there was no more additions to the scoreline.