Eight 'Til Late

MERE GREEN RANGERS 8-0 CHASETOWN FC YOUTH COLTS
(G) WHITE (A) DELPORT
(G) UNDERWOOD (A) WHITE
(G) DELPORT (A) KELLAND
(G) DELPORT (A) WHITE
(G) DELPORT (A) WHITE
(G) LEFORT (A) LEA
(G) WHITE (A) UNDERWOOD
(G) KELLAND (A) GRANT-PARNELL

(MOMs THORNTON/KELLAND)

“The atmosphere here is thick and fast.” – Chris Kamara

This evening we welcomed our good friends Chasetown FC Youth Colts to our ground for an extra midweek fixture as we try and squeeze in our final league fixtures of the season. Simon and Dale are really good guys who work hard to coach their players to pass and move the ball with confidence. It is always good to catch up and we always know that any game between the two sides will be a positively contested and entertaining game. I hope that you will forgive me for a condensed report but by the end of the game the only thing I could see was the orange of the ball and Theo’s goalkeeper top!

First Half

Chasetown started on the front and the opening exchanges were keenly battled between the sides. The away side pressed and Ben Lea, alongside Luke Joeres held their nerve and showed great strength to halt danger. Theo Caldicott marshalled the defence and was on hand to make crucial interventions as the ball found its way into the Rangers’ box. Luca Thornton was cool under pressure and George Hope was a ball of energy that refused to let Chasetown get in behind the back line. Chasetown won a corner after good work on their left and first Sonny Kelland, then Joeres and finally Caldicott made sure that the score line was preserved. It took a while to mount a serious attack for the boys in green but when it came it was swift and it counted. George LeFort won the ball and fed a pass on to Ben Godsell. Godsell picked out Ryan Delport in the left channel and with a blistering turn of pace from our No.7 the boys were in on goal. Delport danced along the by-line before sending a ball back into the feet of Jack White. White lashed a powerful effort across the keeper from the edge of the area and the ball nestled sweetly in the corner of the net. 1-0 The boys in green score from their first real break of note. Lea won a strong challenge and found LeFort who drove forward and slid a pass to Kelland. Kelland laid a pass off to Hope who burst forward at pace before finding Ben Underwood. Our No.9 cut the ball back to White who rocketed a shot in that was bravely blocked by a Chasetown defender. The rebound spun up and then bounced awkwardly but Underwood was on it like a flash and powered a thundering volley high into the net with unerring accuracy. 2-0 The boys double the advantage quickly with another swift passing move. Joeres picked up the ball from a dangerous looking Chasetown attack and drove forward with great power and purpose, our No.5 found Delport who dribbled skilfully into the box before cutting the ball back to Kelland. Our No.10 fired in a bullet drive that fell to Delport after a half block from a defender. Delport smashed the ball into the corner of the net confidently for the Rangers’ third. 3-0 The home side make their possession pay. Hope showed electric pace to cut out a potential through ball and then, driving forward, he picked out a pass to White. Our No.14 cut inside before wrong-footing the defenders by reversing a pass to Delport who sent a first time ferocious drive over the keeper and into the net with style and aplomb. 4-0 The Rangers move up the gears and stretch the lead again. Thornton nicked a ball away from his opposite number and calmly slotted a pass in for Kelland. Our No.10 found LeFort who in turn brought Hope into play. Hope curled a ball in for Underwood who latched on to the pass and cut the ball in for White. White beat his marker and the crossed the ball in for Delport who smashed in from the left side of the box. 5-0 Great passing play across the field leads to another Rangers’ goal. Lea courageously smashed through a tackle and emerged with the ball. Our No.4 then drove a beautiful straight pass in to the feet of LeFort. LeFort turned quickly and beat two players skilfully before looking up and spotting the keeper just off his line. The Rangers’ skipper launched a long range lob with pinpoint precision over the man in goal and into the net for the sixth. 6-0 A sweet piece of play increases the Rangers’ lead. Caldicott had a couple of routine saves to make before the half was over but our No.1’s concentration was on point as he showed great hands to prevent concession.

Half Time 6-0

We had a lot to be proud of but talked to the boys about composure in advanced positions and making sure that they didn’t shoot too early when there were players in good positions. Overall they had done everything we had asked for, done the basics well and taken their chances. We asked them to go again and make sure that they didn’t lose focus…

Second Half

Chasetown deserve credit for their second half display. They battled in the middle of the park and tried to get numbers over when in advanced positions. Caldicott was responsible for a number of superb saves, the most notable was a diving effort low to his right as the Chasetown striker looked to capitalise on a foray into the six-yard box. All the boys dug in and battled toe-to-toe with a valiant opponent. There were chances at both ends with both keepers strongly tested but after weathering a storm the boys in green recalled their passing game and started to impose themselves again. Hope found LeFort who advanced before clipping a ball through for Joeres. Our No.5 beat his man with a flying run towards the area before cutting a pass back to Kelland. Kelland slotted a pass into the area for Underwood who showed great feet to beat his man and put a lateral ball in for White who curled a sharp first time effort into the net with power and finesse. 7-0 The boys in green step it up and gain another goal in the process. Lea and Godsell worked overtime to hold the back line with Hope and Thornton battling bravely at the back as Chasetown continued to commit numbers forward. After a lovey through ball the Chasetown striker was through one-on-one but Caldicott was off his line and collected the ball before an away goal could be registered. Reo Grant-Parnell imposed himself on the game now and got through three or four times with great skill and quick feet. Hope picked up a stray ball and fed a pass inside to LeFort, LeFort found Grant-Parnell, Grant-Parnell on to Kelland, Kelland back to LeFort, LeFort to Joeres, Joeres back to Kelland. Our No.10 then played a slide rule pass in behind the defence for Grant-Parnell. Our No.11 produced a bit of magic before clipping the ball back to Kelland who scuffed a curled effort on goal. The ball bounced awkwardly for the keeper who couldn’t prevent the shot finding a way into the net. 8-0 A fortuitous finish from a fantastic piece of passing team play. The closing stages were still played out evenly but the Rangers had done enough to see out the game and keep their promotion hopes alive.

That win was for our No.17 Max Petty who is recovering from injury after heroics in the semi-final – all the boys and everyone in the Rangers’ Army are with you Max and have fingers crossed for a speedy recovery.

Onwards and upwards.

Up The Rangers!