MERE GREEN RANGERS 3-1 SPORTSCO FC HARRIERS
(G) HOPE (A) KELLAND
(G) WHITE (A) KELLAND
(G) UNDERWOOD (A) DELPORT

(MOMs UNDERWOOD/LEA)

“I am the form and I am the hollow, the thrust and the contour.” - Barbara Hepworth, Artist

The boys worked very hard in training on Thursday and we continued to focus on passing and movement with drills conceived to sharpen not only concentration and alertness but also accuracy in the pass and the movement off the ball. There have been many challenges over the time that I have been privileged enough to coach this team and my overriding thought rested with how to keep the boys focussed and guard against complacency having seen them record their best ever start to a campaign. Today we welcomed the league leaders to our home ground and that alone should have been enough to temper any complacent thoughts but it is about striking a balance and we didn’t want to prevent the boys from imposing their game by warning them too strongly. Andy is a great coach who always prepares his teams to be physically strong and with organisation. Sportsco FC Harriers have been going great guns so we knew that the Rangers would have to be at their best to claim points from today’s encounter...

Before kick off today we observed a one-minute silence for Remembrance Sunday. Both sets of young players were impeccable in their conduct and did their clubs proud.

First Half

Ben Underwood got the game underway from the centre circle and found George LeFort. The Rangers’ skipper found George Hope who controlled well before sending a searching ball in behind the Sportsco back line for Jack White to latch onto. Our No.14 showed great control before bringing Sonny Kelland into the mix. The Rangers’ midfielder picked a pass out for Ryan Delport who twisted and turned his way to the by-line before crossing into the box. The Sportsco keeper came out to claim and then quickly got the game back underway. For the next ten minutes or so the game took up a pattern that could have been concerning had it continued, the Rangers battled for every ball but that old cliché of paying too much respect to your opponent seemed to apply and the away side started to get the upper hand. Ben Lea made a series of crucial interceptions with defensive partner Max Petty; Luke Joeres worked overtime to quell danger on the left with Hope doing the same on the right. Ben Godsell defied medical science with bravery aplenty despite playing with a head injury. Theo Caldicott was sharp and demonstrated great concentration as well as immaculate handling as Sportsco raided the Rangers’ box. On the touch line we tried to stay calm and trust that the boys would turn the tide, they fought hard and started to pick up the second balls, they started to take a touch and not panic and within the blink of an eye they had flipped the balance of power and were on the attack. LeFort bit into a thunderous tackle and Godsell picked up the ball before playing in Kelland through the middle. Kelland carried the ball and fed a pass in to Underwood, the covering Sportsco defender made a superb challenge but the ball fell to White, White looked up and struck a powerful drive for goal that beat the keeper but flew agonisingly wide of the post. Hope won the ball and sent White away down the right, White cut inside and found Underwood, our No.9 turned and struck but his shot was deflected wide. Delport took the corner, the defender cleared at the near post but only as far as LeFort, our No.6 launched a drive that flew wide but the momentum had swung the home side’s way. Petty made a great tackle and found Lea; Lea brought the ball forward into the middle and slid a wonderful pass through for Delport. Our flying winger beat the first man and then whipped in a cross that was cleared out of play for the corner. We have worked on corner routines and instructed our defenders to commit forward and be an extra option (one at a time obviously). Hope opted to be the extra man on this occasion and took up a position on the edge of the area. Underwood, White and Delport made up the central trio and spun into their respective positions accordingly, in the confusion nobody had picked Hope up on the blind side. Kelland whipped over the corner and our No.8 arrived in front of the keeper to connect perfectly and find the net. 1-0 The Rangers take the lead after working hard to control the game. Joeres won a tackle on the left and advanced at pace down the line before feeding a pass inside for Godsell, our No.3 turned slipped a ball through for Kelland, Kelland cut the defence open with a straight ball through for Underwood. The keeper was off his line like lightning but Underwood was determined and got to the ball ahead of the Sportsco No.1. The keeper did enough to divert the effort away from goal as the two bodies clattered together. Joeres picked up the stray ball and played it into space for Godsell. Godsell played the ball into Hope who crossed low into the box. A Sportsco defender managed get the clearance in and suddenly the counter was on. Petty dived in and made a great challenge, Lea also covered great ground as he bravely blocked the ball and held up play. The Sportsco attacker struck a powerful looping shot from the edge of the box; Caldicott shifted his feet quickly and got across his goal to execute a confident save with tremendous handling. Joeres received the ball from Caldicott and our No.5 quickly had the Rangers on the offensive again. White received the ball and turned neatly into space before whipping a cross into the centre, Sportsco cleared and Petty had to be brave as he battled to a position in front of his opponent before controlling and finding Lea. Our No.4 beat one man and then found LeFort, the skipper controlled and played a superlative ball between the lines for Underwood to latch onto, Underwood was forced out wide by his marker but clipped the ball back for Delport who in turn played a ball in for White. White beat his marker and clipped a curling shot for goal that the keeper smothered at the second attempt. As the whistle sounded the boys walked from the pitch to the sound of applause with their heads held high.

Half Time 1-0

“Play without fear, play without panic. When we play our football we look comfortable.” The message was clear and we knew that if the boys settled, kept their shape and continued their passing game they would be hard to beat. Oranges devoured we asked a simple question...”What’s the score?” The reply in unison “0-0!”

Second Half

Luca Thornton snapped into a tackle and calmly stroked the ball through for Joeres, Joeres turned neatly and advanced forward before playing a pass in for Delport. Delport scythed in a first time ball that White controlled neatly. Our No.14 reversed a pass into Reo Grant-Parnell in the right channel, after lightning footwork our No.11 cut the ball back for LeFort who smashed in a drive that beat the keeper but rose over the bar frustratingly. Petty won the ball and found Lea, Lea brought LeFort into play. LeFort travelled and released Grant-Parnell on the right. Grant-Parnell confused his marker with some fleet footed manoeuvres before cantering the ball to White. White held the ball up well before laying off to Kelland outside the area. Our No.10 beat his marker before thundering in a long range drive, the keeper got down and parried the fierce strike but couldn’t prevent the ball spilling to White who showed great composure to slot the ball into the corner of the net and double the Rangers’ advantage. 2-0 The Rangers’ Army leap to celebrate as the boys in green are rewarded for their positive endeavours. Sportsco are top of the league and they were always going to try and swing momentum back in their favour. Thornton bustled into a challenge and despite being floored recovered instantly to win possession and coolly slot a pass in for LeFort, LeFort sent Grant-Parnell into space on the right, Grant-Parnell played the one-two and LeFort was away down the right. LeFort cut the ball back for Underwood, Underwood found Joeres on the left. Our No.5 slipped his marker before releasing a howitzer for the bottom corner that beat the keeper but somehow curled just past the post and agonisingly wide. Sportsco launched an immediate response, Petty flew in bravely, Lea did the same, as did Thornton. With numbers over the Sportsco players advanced confidently, suddenly their striker is free on the left hand edge of the box, the pass is made and the Sportsco man hits a thunderbolt for the top corner. Caldicott somehow got across goal and launched himself at full stretch to palm the shot around the post and away for the corner. World class save from our No.1! From the corner Sportsco pressed again, the ball was taken quickly and worked out wide, another thunderous effort for the corner and Caldicott once again got across goal before diving low to divert the ball away from danger with a smart one handed save. Another corner, Sportsco try to force the play again, Hope dives bravely and blocks a goal bound effort, the Sportsco striker turns and curls in a reverse shot that pings off the post and away. Kelland collected a pass from Lea and after travelling slips a pass into space for Underwood, Underwood shoots but the keeper is equal before the defender snaffles it out for the corner. Kelland curled in the ball, the defender blocks at the near post, Godsell recovered the ball and delivers it back to Kelland on the edge of the box, our No.10 looked up and delivered a high looping ball to the back post, White and Underwood converge to finish but somehow Kelland’s cross rebounded back off the post and deceives everyone in a green shirt as Sportsco clear again. Lea collected the ball from the goal kick and fed Thornton, Thornton to LeFort, LeFort to Delport. The Rangers’ No.7 showed blistering pace to get away from his marker before drilling in a lovely cross to Underwood, our No.9 struck for goal, the keeper saves well, with his back to goal Underwood spins and side foots a low shot into the corner with aplomb. 3-0 The boys in green celebrate together as they increase their lead. In the final stages of the game Sportsco pressed again and it was a brave rear guard display by the Rangers to continually keep them at bay. With moments remaining, after good work on the right, the Sportsco players finally got a breakthrough. The ball was well worked into the channel and after breaking through a couple of challenges the Sportsco winger picked out a good pass that found his teammate in space and with time to side foot a finish that rebounded in off the post. 3-1 Sportsco are rewarded for not giving up and reduce the deficit going into the last five minutes. The cry from the Rangers’ skipper echoed around “We’ve still got a game to win here Rangers!” The Boys took a collective breath and pushed on again. Godsell found Grant-Parnell on the right who burst forward and made his way into the area before launching a shot that skimmed just wide. Hope won the ball and drove a pass forward to Kelland who found Underwood. Underwood to Delport, Delport demonstrated great footwork but was left frustrated by a good save from the keeper. Petty drove forward, beating one then another, finding Grant-Parnell who quickly played the return ball, our No.17 released his strike but it flew just over the bar. Lea carried the ball forward as the Rangers looked full of running. Lea slid a great pass in for Underwood who was confounded by a quick keeper who was off his line bravely to meet the challenge and smother ball. As the whistle sounded the Rangers celebrated an important win and a big step up in terms of the fixture and it’s significance to their progress.

Happy Birthday to Luca Thornton who celebrated with his team mates today after a fine performance and victory. Thank you to the Rangers’ Army as always, the boys did you all proud today and continued their winning run.