Uitgeputte Rangers Verslagen

STAFFORD RANGERS FC 3-1 MERE GREEN RANGERS
(G) DELPORT (Pen)

(MOMs PETTY/CALDICOTT)

“Sometimes something's got to happen before something is going to happen.” - Johan Cruyff

Maybe this is the new normal…I don’t know. Maybe we just have to get used to not having a full squad and working from there. Never in all my time as the coach of this fine set of players have we had to deal with such a lengthy injury list. After training on Friday we knew that we would be without our midfield warrior Jack McNerlin but had a good idea of how we would set up and approach the game. Unfortunately, Ben Godsell who took part in a full training session after 3 weeks out had a reaction and was ruled out as too was George Graves this morning. With Ben Underwood remaining side-lined for a longer period and so we travelled to the home of the only team in our division with 100% win record with 11 players. Thanks to Andy for getting the fixture on and welcoming us to the Jim Jarvis Memorial ground. We have had some great battles in the past and knew that it was going to be a tough afternoon for the Rangers, irrespective of our injury list or not, they play a physical and fast game that requires bravery, focus and energy by the bucketload. We sent the boys out with a clear plan and instructed them on how to deal with their opponents…

First Half

The Rangers kicked off with Sonny Kelland stroking the ball to George LeFort who in turn sprayed a pass out to George Hope. The home side closed down quickly and the tone was set immediately. Max Petty slid in superbly to prevent a chance developing and then cleared the ball into space for Ryan Delport on the left. The defender was across quickly and blocked Delport’s progress. Luke Joeres had to courageously block and Darren Gilchrist sent the ball away as Stafford looked to make an early breakthrough. When the ball was pumped back in Theo Caldicott raced from his line to collect confidently. Caldicott spotted Ollie Adams-Moor in space and sent the ball in for our No.21 who collected and laid off to Hope on the right. Hope curled the ball in but the home keeper was off his line to pluck the cross from the air. Tom Smyth crunched into a tackle and then sent a pass in for Luca Thornton who turned and rolled a pass in for Kelland. Kelland slotted a pass in for Delport who won a corner as his marker stretched to prevent his cross coming in. Delport took the corner and sent it into the middle, the defender rose highest and cleared with a powerful header. The ball bounced and was sent long into Rangers’ territory. Challenges flew in but it fell for the striker who now himself clean through before slotting in a low shot despite Caldicott’s best efforts. 1-0 The Rangers fall behind after failing to match their opponents physicality. We looked for a reaction but unfortunately the boys just couldn’t get a rhythm into their play and the game became scrappy. LeFort worked overtime with Smyth and Adams-Moor in the middle of the park but the play wouldn’t flow and credit to our opponents they pressed high with intensity and forced the boys back time and time again. Petty made another superbly timed tackle before being hacked down. Caldicott took the free kick and curled it in for Hope on the right. Hope found Kelland who switched play inside for Delport. Our No.7 pulled it back for LeFort who showed great feet before laying off to Adams-Moor. The Rangers’ No.21 smashed a stunning drive from distance that beat the keeper but flashed agonisingly wide of the far post. Stafford were straight back on the attack and when the ball was looped into the area Caldicott and Gilchrist had to combine in a last gasp challenge to prevent a shot on goal…the ball spun away but fell into the path of the advancing striker who smashed the ball into the net from close range. 2-0 The boys in orange caught on the break and unable to prevent a further deficit. The message is always the same…keep your shape, keep playing your football…heads started to drop though and whilst the boys tried to hang in they lost their shape a bit and with gaps appearing it was starting to get harder than it needed to be. Smyth headed bravely…Thornton blocked and Kelland dug out the ball from a tackle and found LeFort…our No.6 was flattened but rather than a foul the referee advised him that the rough treatment was a compliment to his standard of play. It felt like the boys were being steamrollered and when another cross into the area fell kindly for the Stafford striker who hit the ball against the ground through a sea of bodies its eventual destination in the corner of the Rangers’ net seemed inevitable. 3-0 Stafford extend their lead as the boys struggle to find their rhythm. What was important now was that the boys didn’t entirely capitulate and that we could get them in without any further concessions. Petty was on hand to make a last gasp tackle that he then turned into a counter attack with a neat pass to Hope on the right. Hope found Kelland who used his body well to hold up the ball before rolling Adams-Moor into play. Adams-Moor found Delport who drove forward before being unceremoniously dumped on his backside by his marker. Delport curled in a lovely cross Hope rose and edged the ball to LeFort who took a touch and then sent a shot in low that fell a whisker wide of the post. Thornton won the ball and gave possession to Smyth who sent a lovely ball in for LeFort who was upended again before he could get into position to hurt the opposition. Kelland took the free kick and floated a curling ball into the danger area…Adams-Moor was on the end of it but his header was blocked away. From the clearance Stafford broke again and Joeres had to use every ounce of his pace to jockey the attacker away from goal, our No.5 then bravely flew in to block in concession of the corner. The ball was swung in and Caldicott rose through the bodies to collect confidently. The whistle sounded to signal the end of the half and the boys walked in with miserably their heads down.

Half Time 3-0

The instructions we had were clear. Our opposition wanted it more than we did in the first half and whatever lay ahead the boys had to recover some pride in their performance. “You are not a rubbish side…you can play good passing football. Get the ball down and use your pace to get in behind them. Most of all though you have to be brave…you have to match their physicality and stand up for yourselves and each other. When you walk off this pitch at the end make sure that you have left absolutely everything you have out there. Walk off knowing that you could have done no more. Win the second half!” We talked through some tactical issues with the shape and then sent the boys out…

Second Half

Petty won possession and then crunched through a thunderous tackle, our No.17 then continued his run and broke through another full on challenge…still in possession he was finally brought down just inside the Rangers’ half for a free kick but importantly there was an immediate intensity here that had been absent in the first half. Petty took the kick and floated it towards the Stafford area. Kelland controlled well and held off a challenge before rolling LeFort in on the edge of the box. LeFort curled a lovely ball across the area for Delport who arrived with a header at the back post. The keeper saved well but the boys looked like they meant business. Gilchrist won a solid challenge and sent the ball out to Adams-Moor who travelled and then slotted a ball in to Thornton who in turn found Smyth. Smyth sent a pass in for Hope on the right, our No.8 crossed and found Kelland who guided the ball to LeFort. LeFort struck for goal but couldn’t get enough purchase on the drive. Stafford came again and Joeres slid in superbly to divest the striker of the ball before he could get in on goal. Our No.5 then found Caldicott who clipped a lovely curling pass in for Delport on the left. Our No.7 whipped a cross in but it was blocked away for the corner. Kelland sent a low corner to the near post but no Ranger could get a decisive touch as the keeper managed to gather. Smyth emerged from another brutal exchange with the ball and found LeFort. LeFort took a punishing challenge in his stride and moved possession on to Adams-Moor who reached the edge of the box before smashing a drive for goal that flew just wide. Stafford attacked again but now the defensive triumvirate of Petty, Gilchrist and Joeres were refusing to let anything get in behind their line. Caldicott collected the ball and, seeing the home side stretched, our No.1 immediately sent a long ball towards the area. Kelland flicked the ball on and the defender was wrong footed…as he tried to readjust his hand was lifted away from his body and blocked the ball as it headed towards goal. The referee blew for hand ball and consulted with the referee to confirm that it was in the area. With this confirmed Delport stepped up and confidently sent the keeper the wrong way with neatly placed shot. 3-1 The Rangers deservedly get on the scoresheet and are rewarded for their increased efforts. The boys were now playing with intensity and quality and were quickly on the attack again. Gilchrist won possession and found Smyth, our No.20 showed great quality to curl a ball out to Hope on the right. Hope found Kelland who whipped the cross in, only to see the ball blocked for the corner. Gilchrist came up for the corner…Thornton covered the keeper…Delport swung it in…the ball was headed away but Petty raced onto the clearance and slotted a pass in for Gilchrist who smashed a drive from the edge of the area that flew just over the bar. LeFort tackled bravely and Petty rolled the ball back to Caldicott. Caldicott picked out a lovely pass to Adams-Moor on the left, Adams-Moor found Delport who raced away from his man and sent a low cross in at pace…Kelland had lost his marker and arrived perfectly to side foot for goal…somehow the keeper shot out a hand as he was falling the opposite way and remarkably managed to edge the ball away to prevent a certain goal. World class save to deny the boys in orange. Stafford came again and after good work down their right, Joeres had to snap into a challenge to prevent a cross. From the corner, Caldicott soared highest and collected the ball amongst a forest of frantic bodies. Our No.1 then threw over arm to Delport who was quickly away again down the left…Delport beat his man before sending in a low cross at pace…two defenders and the keeper missed it but no Ranger foot could get there as the goal sat begging. Smyth raced at lightning pace as he spotted Stafford had the overload on their left. Smyth intervened perfectly and rolled the ball back to Caldicott who switched instantly to Joeres on the left, Joeres raced away and sent a pass in for Delport who flicked inside for Kelland…Kelland held up the ball with his back to goal and then brought Adams-Moor into the picture…our No.21 smashed a low shot for the corner and again the keeper was down smartly to somehow palm the ball around the post at full stretch…another superb save from the Stafford No.1! Thornton collected a pass from Smyth and our No.2 sent a ball in behind for Delport who won a corner after good play on the left. Kelland sent a low near post corner in and it was initially cleared until Smyth collected and played in LeFort. LeFort curled a ball over that was cleared from under the bar with a strong header. Suddenly the break was on and as the striker raced through on goal, Gilchrist slid in and executed a perfect tackle to divert the ball away. From the corner, Caldicott again came out to claim with confidence and sent a pass out to Kelland deep in opposition territory. Kelland showed strength in his hold up and brought Hope in on the right. Our No.8 curled a cross in but the keeper cut it out…he spilled it though and Kelland was quick to close…the keeper got to it and although our No.10 made no contact he took the opportunity to clutch his face and waste some precious minutes. From the restart Stafford sent a long ball in behind the Rangers’ back line. Caldicott came off his line as the striker found himself clean through…Petty slid in to make a last gasp challenge and although our man got the ball, as soon as the striker went down the referee made a call and signalled to the spot. It was to be the last kick of the game and I stood on the touchline thinking how harsh it would be for the Rangers to concede having not allowed Stafford a clear sight of goal for the entire second half. The big centre back ran up to the ball and smashed it low for the bottom right hand corner of the goal…Caldicott guessed correctly and at full stretch turned the ball around the post and away. World class penalty save! The final whistle sounded but Caldicott’s penalty save was greeted with a celebration from the Rangers that spoke of togetherness and a sense of achievement. We’d asked them to go out and win the second half and they reminded themselves that they had made good on that request. They had given absolutely every last ounce of reserve and proved what a good side they can be.

All our thoughts are with the injury listed players at the moment. The boys did you proud in that second half!

Up The Rangers!