COMFORTABLE VICTORY AT HOME AGAINST CANTERBURY

The Rustics maintained their unbeaten home record with a comfortable 3-0 win against bottom of the table Canterbury City on Saturday but were never at their best against their hard working opponents.

With captain Jack Smith picking up a knee injury in the win at Phoenix last week Tommy Lawrence came into the holding midfield role.

The visitors with a new manager and several new players started brightly and it took the Rustics a while to get control of the midfield and start their usual quick passing game.

Dan Blunn was the first to cause a threat, he was allowed to bring the ball out from the back and just kept going before unleashing a right foot effort from fully 40 yards which was blocked by an advancing defender.

Rusthall were now causing the visitors problems on both flanks with Yassin Fares looking to run at defenders at every opportunity and it was the young Italian that broke the deadlock in the 26th minute - Canterbury failed to clear a corner on the right and Blunn knocked the ball down to Fares who gave the keeper no chance from 12 yards with his right foot shot much to the delight of the crowd of 193.

To their credit Canterbury continued to work hard preventing Rusthall from taking control of the game with long periods becoming a midfield battle. At 1-0 the visitors were always in the game and in the 44th minute they came close to grabbing an equaliser, a corner on the right was only cleared to the edge of the are and Danny Keyte hit a superb shot from 20 yards which struck the underside of the bar before being cleared to safety.

The second half followed much the same pattern as the first with Rusthall looking the better side but being unable to find the 2nd goal to make the game safe. The home side had to wait until the 80th minute to increase their lead but it was well worth the wait. The outstanding Tarik Ibrahim picked the ball up some 40 yards out and weaved past 3 defenders before giving McKie no chance with a slick right foot effort into the far corner.

With Canterbury throwing players forward Rusthall secured all three points in the 89th minute, Fares was again allowed to run into the box and beat McKie at his near post for his 2nd goal of the game in what has been an excellent first season at the club.

The win keeps the Rustics in 2nd place in the Premier Division of the SCEFL, next up is another home game on Saturday when they welcome Sutton Athletic to The Jockey Farm Stadium and they will be hoping for another bumper crowd!

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