RACERS SURGE TO PROMOTION
RACING CLUB WAR 2 AYLESTONE Monaghan 19, Willis 66 PARK 1 Hollis 90
VICTORIOUS Racing Club Warwick boss Scott Easterlow dedicated his side’s play-off win to three club stalwarts who died during the season.
Goals from Louie Monaghan and Josh Willis edged the Racers over the line with the visitors clawing a goal back through Sam Hollis late on.
Easterlow said: “I thought we started the game really well, scored two goals but then everyone knows that 2-0 is a dangerous scoreline.
“We had two good chances to get a third goal, missing a one-on-one and then hitting the post, before they scored with a shot through the keeper’s legs which made it a nervy final five minutes.
“But I’m sure if you speak to anyone from Aylestone, they will say we were the better side and deserved the victory that takes us to Step 4 football.
“We told the players before the game that we had a point to prove as they had beaten us twice and we needed to make sure that it didn’t happen a third time.
They work really hard, training twice a week every week, so it’s good that they have their reward now.
“This football club hasn’t been in Step 4 for 20-odd years so it’s great to get them back there. I’ve lost my best mate who played down here and we’ve also lost two stalwarts of the club. They would have loved today so I’d like to dedicate this win to those three people.”
The Racers dominated the opening 45 minutes but only had a solitary goal to show for their efforts.
Monaghan put a closerange header wide early on but made amends on 19 minutes when he gathered a Wills pass before firing low into the bottom left-hand corner of Nykah Liburd-Hines’ goal.
Simeon Cobourne had an effort diverted wide by Park skipper Justin Peace and then Willis had an effort cleared off the line at the start of the second period.
A rare foray into the area from the visitors resulted in Warwick keeper Sam Lomax having to keep out a Louis Samuels effort with his legs before Cobourne was denied by a combination of the keeper and Peace at the other end.
The hosts doubled their lead on 66 minutes when Callum Carsley’s corner was headed in by Willis and there should have been a third soon after but Monaghan’s effort struck the upright with Liburd-Hines beaten.
Park lost influential midfielder Declan Towers in the closing stages but still threw players forward and it needed a decent save from Lomax to keep out former Burton Albion and Accrington Stanley striker Billy Kee.
Hollis did score on 90 minutes prompting some anxious moments but it proved little more than a consolation for the Leicestershire side.
The hosts had more good news this week when it was confirmed that they would be playing Aston Villa at Villa Park in the Birmingham Senior Cup final on May 15.
STAR MAN: James Hancocks (RC Warwick) ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★✩