Rangers leave it late against Buckingham Town

Fernie Fields surface again in perfect order considering the recent spell of weather, the atmosphere again felt flat at home. Rangers started in this vein, by kicking the ball straight at the referee from kick off, which put Buckingham straight on the attack!

Buckingham pressed and used the left wing to good effect, getting into reasonable areas on the attack. Rangers, offered very little in reply in the early exchanges. In fairness, neither goal keeper was stretched during the first half with a couple of half chances created.

Half-time could not come sooner for Botterill's men where there was evident frustration from the management team. This performance was not one what Botterill and Green would be satisfied with.

The second half started with a much better tempo to the home teams play effectively pushing Buckingham Town back to defend much of the half. Ling and Redding providing a little more ammunition for the front two of Foster and Byrne.

Watts was forced into a good save on the hour mark to save any blushes and soon after watched a deflected free-kick narrowly avoid the bottom corner. Byrne and Blackwood were both guilty of missing good chances to take the lead.

Eventually after some great work by Ling on the left, he guided a cross to the far post where Byrne popped up with a simple header to take the spoils.

Buckingham would be disappointed to go away with nothing, they will have another chance when we eventually go to the Irish Centre later in the season. The chasing pack of AFC Rushden & Diamonds, Oadby Town and Eynesbury Rovers are waiting for Rangers to slip up, unfortunately for them it did not happen today.

Sileby Rangers from: Watts, Glass, Chilton, Spaughton, Marlow, Redding (Blackwood), Crockett, Cassidy, Ling, Foster (Slinn), Byrne (Goodall)