by Peter Scherer
It’s a trip down the M1 to Rugby Town on Boxing Day.
Following Saturday’s disappointing draw at home to Coventry Sphinx, Sports will be hoping for better luck as they visit Rugby Town.
Our hosts had gone six games without defeat until early November and returned to winning ways on December 6th beating Racing Club Warwick 1-0 at home, after three defeats.
Grant Joshua’s side were away at table topping Carlton Town last Saturday losing out 1-2 to a late goal leaving them 16th in the table.
First choice goalkeeper Marcus Bald was a pre-season signing, straight from his release from Northampton Town. During his time with the Cobblers he was also loaned to Harborough Town and Newport Pagnell.
Right back Nathan Kabeya was a Wolves junior, who was loaned to Bromsgrove Sporting and Lincoln City, before joining Northwich Victoria on his release. He then moved to Lye Town and Shifnal, before joining our hosts pre-season after a year at Coleshill.
Geoffrey Lundoloki is a left back and played his junior football at Leicester City and Barnsley. He was released in the summer and joined Rugby in September.
Fellow left back Bleu McNeill was signed in pre-season from Rushden & Diamonds. He had a brief spell with our hosts in 2020 too and has also played for Daventry Town and Newport Pagnell
Centre back Will Harris arrived earlier this month from Hinckley, having recently played his football in US College’s at Fort Wayne, Mississippi Brilla and Corpus Christi. He previously played for Halesowen and Redditch.
Centre back Josh Thomas is a home-grown talent, who made his first team debut in 2021.
Jakub Pavolvski is another young centre back on loan from Walsall, along with his Saddlers team mate and midfielder McLoyd Oben.
Defender Fabian Stolowski recently made his first team debut, after coming through the clubs own youth scheme.
Greg Tempest is a central midfielder with League One experience. He started out at Notts County and was loaned out to Boston Utd, before joining Lincoln City after his release. Nuneaton, Gainsborough, Basford, Matlock, Grantham and Gedling were his next stops, followed by Belper Town, Quorn and Clifton All Whites. He joined Rugby in October after two years at Carton Town.
Teddy Rowe is another recent signing, having arrived from Worcester City in October. Another central midfielder and an Aston Villa youngster, he joined Leamington on his release, after a loan spell at Gloucester. After another loan spell at Banbury he started this season at Worcester.
Another central midfielder is Callum Griffin, who has spent most of his career at Tamworth. He had loans at Lichfield City and Walsall Wood before a permanent move to Lichfield at the start of last season. He joined our hosts pre-season.
Midfielder Isaac Adegoke started this season at Barwell Town, but quickly moved onto hosts. He started last season at Bromsgrove and played for Coleshill Town and Sporting Khalsa too. He started at Coventry Copeswood and has played for Walsall Wood, Racing Club Warwick, Wolverhampton Casuals, Highgate Utd, Lye Town, Halesowen and Spalding too.
Captain Sam Tye is a midfielder too signed pre-season from Coleshill. His previous clubs included Stourbridge, Causeway Utd, Bromsgrove, Highgate Utd and Lye Town.
Caine Elliott plays in central midfield too. He first joined our hosts in 2021 from Stratford and moved to Halesowen after a two-year stay. He was then loaned back to Rugby, but spent last season at Leamington, before returning to Rugby again in September.
Right sided midfielder Jack Concannon started out at Birmingham City. He had loans at Sutton Coldfield and Tamworth, before going to Sutton following his release. Alvechurch, Walsall Wood, Coleshill were his next stops, before starting this season at Stourbridge. He came to Rugby in November.
Midfielder Alex Dulgheru is another graduate from the clubs own youth team to have made his debut recently.
Striker Trey Charles played his youth football at Luton Town, before moving on to St.Albans City. He then moved to Arlesey Town, before a number of spells at Bedford Town. Colney Heath, Leverstock, Hitchin Town, Northwood, Braintree, Hendon, Biggleswade, Berkhamsted, Kempston Rovers, Barwell and Cambridge City are also on his cv, before starting last season at Rugby. He started this season at Wellingborough but re-joined our hosts in October.
Harrison Nee is a striker too, signed from Peterborough Sports in February last year. He was previously with Coventry City.
Rivel Mardenborough is a former Wales Under 16 international and played his youth football with Swansea City and Newport County. He played for Darlaston Town and Hednesford last season and has also played for Paget Rangers and Redditch and came to Rugby in pre-season.
Cairo Taylor is another striker who arrived in pre-season from Rushden & Diamonds. He was previously at Wellingborough Whitworth.
Dan Shaw arrived in pre-season too. Originally the young striker or attacking midfielder was at Aston Villa, before moving to Blackburn Rovers. He spent part of last season at Alvechurch.
Finally Tyrell Skeen-Hamilton has recently arrived, after starting this season at Racing Club Warwick. He played his youth football at Birmingham City and Bournemouth and was Salisbury and Gosport Borough before joining Alvechurch on his release. He’s played for Telford, Rushall, Banbury, Stratford, Barwell and Redditch too.
Kick off at Butlin Road is 3pm.