Match Report
Match Report - 15 Sep 2009, St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team beat Crowborough Ath
Rangers' new boss Roy Staughton was a contented man on Tuesday after his side comfortably sealed their fourth win in nine league starts.
They are winning the games they should be and Staughton said he is able to see a gradual improvement.
Certainly Rangers appear flexible enough, with skipper Chris Maynard reverting to the central defensive role he occupied against Three Bridges, allowing impressive youngster Matt Carruthers to take a well earned rest.
And though Crowborough, in Ryman 1 South last season, offered poor opposition, Staughton was pleased with the greater resilience shown in defence.
The opening goal on 12 minutes was hotly contested, with Crows keeper Rob Gordon penalised by a linesman for carrying the ball out of the area. Geoff Pitcher's free kick was well saved by Gordon, who did even better to stop Sam Palmer's follow-up header before Jamie Westlake made it third time lucky.
Rangers doubled the score in double the time and what a beautifully worked goal it was too. Westlake released Jamie Weston, whose excellent first-time cross was rapped in at the far post by Pitcher on 24 minutes.
Gordon did well to deny Palmer, who also had an effort ruled out, before Rangers made it safe five minutes after the break as a swift break enabled Westlake to volley in his second.
After that Staughton made changes which did nothing to improve Rangers' performance but by then they were coasting and Crows' misery was completed when four yellow cards were climaxed by the dismissal of sub Nathan Milroy for verbal abuse at the start of stoppage time
Middy starman: The whole team for a comfortable three points.
St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team 3 - 0 Crowborough Ath