Match Preview

Darlaston are set to travel all down the M6 tomorrow evening to face Rugby Borough in a Birmingham FA Senior Challenge Cup First Round tie. The clubs have met previously at The Paycare in the 2017/18 season, in The Birmingham Saturday FA Vase competition, Darlaston losing out 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at full-time.

Rugby Borough under the stewardship of Dan Carter have Rugby Borough have been promoted from step 7 into step 5 this being their first season at this level.

Rugby Borough’s success story started really in the 2021/22 season when they were crowned Champions of The Everards Brewery Leicestershire Senior League Premier Division winning the title by fourteen points over their nearest rival earning promotion into The Spartan South Midlands Football League Division One where in their first season (2022/23) they qualified for the playoffs beating Amersham Town 4-0 in the semi-finals and Northampton Chenecks 2-0 in the final to earn promotion into The United Counties League Premier Division South for this season. They also won the League Cup beating Moulton 2-0 in the final.

Rugby Borough have also been successful in the converted Coventry Cup winning the trophy twice.

After their two successive promotions, Rugby Borough have parted company with Dan Carter their long-term manager and they are currently in mid-table after eleven league games in 13th place within the Premier Division South having won four and lost the remaining seven with a -4 goal difference.

Last weekend Rugby Borough appointed Justin Marsden as their new manager and over the coming days and weeks he is sure to make changes to the squad.

In the league Rugby Boroughs recent form has been patchy winning two of their last six league games, losing the remaining four game. In the Cupo competitions they have been successful, getting through to the same round in the Emirates FA Cup as Darlaston beating Tividale 4-1 at The Beeches, in the Extra Preliminary Round, followed by a 1-0 win at Midlands Football League reigning Premier Division Champions Walsall Wood in the First Round Qualifying before losing 7-0 at Halesowen Town in the Second Round Qualifying.

In the Isuzu FA Vase Rugby like Darlaston had a bye in the First Round Qualifying, but in the Second they beat Worcester City 5-4 on penalties after a 2-2 draw at Claines Lane.

Manager Dean Gill will certainly not be taking the fixture lightly as clearly the pedigree of the side and the results in the Emirates FA Cup and Isuzu FA Vase this season clearly shows that Rugby Borough are a Cup side.

Darlaston will be coming off the back of a disappointing result at Wolverhampton Casuals after two minutes of madness on Saturday and will certainly be looking to get back to winning ways tomorrow evening. With many players returning from injury and suspension Gill will have the majority of the squad to select for tomorrow nights game. The winners will hope for a plum home draw in the next round hopefully against one of the 7 league sides that play in this Cup.

We hope as many Darlaston fans as possible will make the long trip to:

The Nationwide Windows Arena
Kilsbury Lane
RUGBY
CV21 4PN

Kick-off is 7.45 p.m.

Entrance –
Adults £7.00, Concession £3.00 and we understand that the site has a strict NO DOGS policy.