Match Report
Match Report - 29 Jan 2011, St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team lost to Rye Utd
Rangers were forced to make three changes to the team that defeated Shoreham on the previous Saturday, all in defence, due to injuries to Paul Clarke and the Palmer twins, Ben and Sam. Justin Pawsey was also making his debut for the club after spells with Whitehawk Youth and Shoreham. Manager Kieran Collins felt before the game that it was going to be a sort of backs to the wall job for his young team against a very experienced Rye team, and he was not far wrong.
Rangers started the game with a strong breeze behind them in a near freezing temperature but were guilty of giving the ball away too frequently in the opening 10 minutes and on 13 minutes Naz Rouane was unfortunately dispossessed in his own half and led to Rye No.10, Scott Ramsay, opening the scoring for the home team after keeper Simon Lehkyj had beaten away a shot from Danny Leach.
St Francis made a number of forays into the Rye half mainly through the speedy Peter Martin and on 25 minutes Martin was wrongly adjudged offside when put clear through on goal by Richard Greenfield. Chances were at a premium at both ends until the 45th minute when Ben Holden was caught in possession on the left but luckily for Rangers, Rye No. 7 Danny Ellis chipped over the bar when put clear. It was a disappointing half for Rangers but Rye too had not looked impressive.
The second half was only 10 minutes gone when Rye no. 2, Ryan Moreby, punted a hopeful looping ball forward from just inside his own half which landed just outside the Rangers’ area and was headed over the advancing Lehkyj by Ramsay for his second goal. From the restart Rye killed off the game when Ramsay completed his hat-trick within a minute to make it 3 – 0. A minute later Ben Holden and Daley Clarke were replaced by Keiron Pamment and James Westlake.
On 67 minutes, Lehkyj made a good save to deny the advancing Sam Cole who had been put clear through on goal. Pat Rose replaced Pawsey on 71 minutes and a minute later Martin almost pierced the solid Rye defence. This was the start of the best spell of the game for Rangers when Greenfield tested Rye keeper Pelling from distance on 76 minutes and two minutes later a defence splitting pass from Rouane to Greenfield on the left was touched on to Rose but his shot was well blocked by Rye captain Shaun Loft. A minute later Olli Davis shot way over the bar after some good passing created the chance.
On 85 minutes, substitute Liam Upton scored Rye’s 4th goal after being put through on the right and the score could have been higher in the last few minutes if Rye’s finishing had been better.
Kieran Collins was a little disappointed at the poor performance of his team but hopes for an improvement in next Saturday’s game at home to Pagham
Rye Utd 4 - 0 St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team