Match Report
Match Report - 22 Aug 2009, St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team lost to Pagham
JUDGING by Rangers' start to the season it could be a long and hard one but it would probably not take too much to turn things around.
Certainly one could sympathise with new manager Roy Staughton's view that they did not get the rub of the green at Nyetimber Lane on Saturday but clearly they are missing quality in key areas.
Staughton feels the retirement of captain and defender Dan O'Farrell has been felt keenest but the lack of a genuine goalscorer looked even more a factor in this match.
After conceding a goal that looked yards offside, they got behind a square home defence time and again but on each occasion their finishing was woeful.
Staughton believes he needs to play Phil Gault in a midfield role but without Sam Jeremiah to produce a regular supply of goals, it puts even more pressure on a fledgling defence.
Skipper Chris Maynard was employed at left back to rob Rangers of even more menace going forward and Tom Djamaluddin was switched to central defence alongside highly impressive youngster Matt Carruthers, with Ben Palmer moving to right back.
Sam Palmer returned up front after injury but he probably needed this game to sharpen up, while the genuine Russell Harris probably lacks the tight first touch needed at this level.
Yet for all that, Rangers could consider themselves mighty unlucky to go off at half time trailing 1-0 and although Pagham were no better than them in the second half, the visitors failed to do too much going forward and clearly it was all over when they conceded a second goal on 65 minutes.
Michael Frangou took that chance superbly although for once Carruthers was found slightly wanting before the striker beat Djamaluddin and drilled a low shot expertly inside the far post.
No arguments with that but there was over the opening goal on 10 minutes when a long ball was headed on and Andy Cox looked yards offside as he scored with a crisp half volley.
That brought the first of three bookings for dissent for the visitors, clearly unhappy with the performance of Boris Erguvan and his two assistants. Again, for all the rights and wrongs, one could have some sympathy with Simon Lehkyj, Maynard and sub Mike McDonald. Gault was also yellow carded for a foul.
The visitors had two shouts for a penalty turned after the break and McDonald brought a neat save from Wes Hallett with a set-piece header in stoppage time.
But it was really in the first half when Rangers should have got on the scoresheet. Gault had two good chances, the first he put wide and the second being headed away from near the line, although an even better one fell to Harris when Hallett made a real hash of a clearance. Harris had Gault up in support with only the home keeper in front of them but after rounding Hallett, Harris was collared by Dan Cox.
Just before that Lehkyj had used his legs to deny Ryan Cox after an error by Djamaluddin left the home No 9 clean through.
That apart, it really wasn't Rangers' day although they need to take some responsibility for that.
Rangers: Lehkyj; B Palmer, Djamaluddin, Carruthers, Maynard; Weston, Pitcher, Gault, Butler; Harris, S Palmer. Subs: McDonald (Harris, 72), Evens (Gault, 77).
Middy Starman: Matt Carruthers, maturity beyond his 18 years.
Pagham 2 - 0 St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team