St Francis Rangers FC

1st Team:
Sat 25th feb, home to Hailsham in Brighton Charity Cup.
Sat 3rd March - No fixture given
Sat 10th March - Away to Pagham
Sat 17th March - No game, St Patricks day at club
Sat 24th March - Away to Chichester
Sat 31st March - Home to Worthing United
Monday 9th April - Home to Hassocks 

Reserves:
Friday 2nd March Away to Hailsham Town
Sat 10th March -East Preston Home
Sat 24th March - Away to Pagham

Matt Carruthers joins Ringmer this week after ending a short spell back at the club.

Matt was superb before Xmas, helping Rangers go 8 games unbeatan but has decided he needs to join a club with something left to play for this season as he looks to get more matches, with Rangers likely to be finished by end of March. The club understand his decision and wish him all the best for the remainder of the season.

The management will now be looking to recruit a replacement as cover for the end of the season.

 

Tonight's Reserve game against is East Preston is officially OFF after a pitch inspection today.

The ground s rock hard and is dangerous now so god knows what will be like at 7.45pm!

Rangers dominated the game but somehow ended up on the losing end of another home defeat. They battled back from 2 down to equalise, only to concede from a set piece in injury time.


With Luke Leppard absent through work commitments Jake Forward came in to midfield, with Rangers deploying a new adventurous 4-3-3 system with the ball. This saw Pamment move up top and he excelled, his movement was superb bettered by his link play with quick incisive passing.


The new system allowed Cooper and Forward to bomb on from midfield and it was these runs that saw Rangers twice go close in the opening 15 minutes in which they dominated. Cooper found himself in space in the box but with the keeper to beat he found the angle too tight and fired over.


Whiteford had a good chance after some neat build up play before Pamment flashed wide,


Rangers were well on top but against the run of play they fell behind. Dodd careless pass put the forward through one on one against Walsh. The forward was pulling at Walsh shorts and as they fell the referee gave a free kick just on the edge of the box. It was a harsh decision but one that , if a foul, should have seen Walsh  pick up at least a yellow if it was a foul but he escaped unpunished.


Michael Death mis hit the free kick but it crept under the wall to squeeze home beyound Gordon. 


The goal saw East Grinstead gain in confidence and the remainder of the half was more even. Pamment and Perry had half chances for Rangers, whilst Death had another effort saved. Carruthers then twice had shots on goal saved and blocked  as Rangers looked destined to equalise.


Just before half time the visitors extended their lead. Clark played a blind pass straight to Downs on the half way line, who released Hider who cooly clipped the ball over the advancing Gordon.


Rangers could count themselves really unfortunate to be down at the break, 2 errors punished.


But Rangers came out determined in the second period and dominated the half, and on a difficult pitch playing some fabulous football in the process.


An O Neil corner was headed home by Perry at the near post and this sparked Rangers in to action.


Whiteford soon had the ball in the net with a superb finish but he was flagged offside. O Neil had a long range effort saved, Pamment shot wide, Cooper had a effort well blocked and Pamment went close again. Minutes later he made ammends for that miss with a fabulous finish after a great through ball from O Neil.


It only seemed a mater of time before Rangers dominance put them in front but they failed to convert their chances. 


Walsh should have earnt a penalty when he was pulled back when he went to put the ball in an empty net, following up a rebound after the keeper spilled Forwards long range effort.


The keeper fumbled again and Pamment had the goal at his mercy but somehow hit the bar from 6yards.


The visitors pushed Tony Read up front and that gave Rangers a lot more problems. From a right wing cross Read headed against the bar, before his close range shot was well saved by Gordon.


Then in injury time Rangers switched off again as a right wing corner was flicked on by read and headed home from 2 yards out at the back post by Nial Lee. Rangers still had time to grab another equaliser and it looked sure they would. Carruthers flicked on O Neils cross and Daley Clark had the simple task of heading home from 2 yards at the far stick. Unfortunately Cooper got in the way and headed over!


Overall Rangers should feel pleased with their performance as they dominated the football. But their errors were punished and sometimes it is the result that's more important than the style.


Kieran Colligns was pleased with how the team adapted to a new system, particularly only having spent 30 minutes in training on it in the week.
They carried out instructions perfectly and 95% of the game went to plan, it was just unfortunate that other 5% was punished.


Team: Gordon, O Neil, Dodd, Carruthers, Walsh, Perry (Pople 67mins), Whiteford, Pamment, Cooper, Forward, Clark.


MOM: Pamment

Rangers entertain East Grinstead Town who beat them 2-1 in the reverse fixture earlier this season.

That game was the catalyst of Rangers poor run that co incided with long term injuries to Jabba, Tel, Boggy, Luke Aikhurst, Jason Hollick, Malcolm.

Only tel and Luke have been able to return since and both are available for today's game. Daley Clark is back after missing last week game through a dodgy ruby murry.

Luke Leppard is absent due to work commitments, but Glenn Charker, Jake Forward both return after their midweek run in the reserves. Young Tom ward comes in to the squad again for some additional experience.

Squad: Gordon, Dodd, Akehurst, Carruthers, Charker, Walsh, Barnes, O Neil, Cooper, Pamment, Whiteford, Perry, Clark, Ward, Forward, Pople

Rangers 0 Ringmer 0

Rangers ground out a draw against a Ringmer side containing several new faces with plenty of County League experience. In their side was Tom Lyons, lining up against Rangers for the 3rd time this season, each with a different club!

The draw doesn't do either side much good in their efforts to avoid the drop but overall it was a fair result.

Rangers welcomed back Matt Carruthers and Aaron Walsh but Daley Clark missed out with  food poisoning. His absence meant Pamment moving in middle of the park with Matt Whiteford on the left, playing his second full 90 minutes in less than 24 hours!

Both sides made a quiet start to the game, with the bobbly pitch making it difficult for both sides to pay any conductive football. Neither goalkeeper actually made a save over the 90 minutes, although both sides had their chances.

It was Rangers who got in to the game early on with Leppard and Perry pace their main threat. It was that combination that set up Whiteford for the best chance of the half but his shot hit the bar. Soon after Whiteford drove in to the box, beat 3 players but rather than shoot moved the ball to his favoured left foot and was tackled.  Pamment was having an excellent game and it was his intervention that set Pople away but his finished lacked accuracy.

Lyons became more of an influence for Ringmer as the half wore on. He cleverly dropped in to the hole and linked the play. Minutes before the break he should have given Ringmer the lead but he blazed well over, then he missed a header from close range.

Rangers just about shaded the first half and despite the difficult pitch they managed to play some decent football. Cooper industry was at the heart of everything good for the home side.

The second half saw Ringmer take advantage of the strong wind and it was the visitors who created the best chances. Twice Aaron Walsh made heroic blocks when it seemed certain that Whiteman and then Macmillan would score.

Souter headed accross goal but this time it was Leppard back defending who got the block off.

As the Rangers players tired they couldn't get their passing going in the second period and with the ball failing to stick the defensive were over worked, but the coped well with Walsh outstanding.

Ringmer had the better chances but a draw was probably a fair result overall.

Team: Gordon, Dodd, Walsh, Carruthers, O Neil, Cooper, Whiteftord, Pamment, Perry, Pople (70 mins Blake), Leppard

MOM: Cooper and Walsh, for various reasons but honours shared

Rangers will look to build on last weeks cup win when they take on a much changed Ringmer on Saturday.

Sammy Donnelly appointment has seen a host of players arrive at the club and Rangers will have to be at their best on Sat if they are to get anything out of the game. The Ringmer side will now contain a host of experienced County players who have been brought in to get them away from the foot of the table.

Tom Lyons missed last weeks game through injury but it fit it will be the 3rd time this season he has played against Rangers, each with a different club! It will also be the third match Donnelly has taken charge against Rangers as well.

Rangers see the return of Matt Carruthers, Aaron Walsh which enables Daley Clark to revert back to his preferred midfield position.

Terry Gacias, Greg Archer & Tom Djamaludin are still absent, with Matt Whiteford, Jake Forward and Charlie Romain all playing for the reserves to improve their fitness.
Squad: Gordon, O Rouke, Perry, Dodd, O Neil, Clark, Charker, Forward, Romain, Cooper, Pamment, Leppard, Pople, Carruthers, Walsh, Whiteford.

Rangers entertain Storrington in The Brighton Cup, bringing a welcome break for the league!


The club have a chance to get back to winning ways but will have to be at their best to do so.


They will be without Matt Carruthers, Aaron Walsh, Terry Gacias, Greg Archer & Tom Djamaludin this week so Daley Clark will start at centre back with Glenn Charker.


Rob Gordon returns after his injury last week, as does Luke Leppard


Squad: Gordon, O Rouke, chicken legs, Dodd, O Neil, Clark, Charker, Forward, Romain, Cooper, Pamment, Leppard, Pople, Martin, Whiteford, Ward.