Match Report
Match Report - 02 Nov 2010, St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team drew with Midhurst & Easebourne
Rangers won 3-2 on pens
IT WAS hardly the kind of way new St Francis Rangers boss Kieran Collins would have chosen to get off the mark but, quite rightly, he was happy to dwell on the positives after Tuesday’s RUR penalty shootout victory over lowly Division 2 visitors Midhurst.
He accepted that technically it was an inept performance but he was proud of the way the side came from 2-0 down to lead 3-2 before conceding an equaliser three minutes from the end.
That took the tie to penalties and even then Rangers hardly made it easy on themselves or their long suffering supporters, twice surrendering the advantage to be level at 2-2 but a penalty behind. John McDermott blasted the advantage onto the bar and over before home skipper Simon Lehkyj scored past opposite number Paul Williamson and then saved the Midhurst keeper’s spot kick.
Collins said at the end: “We played badly as a unit but showed a lot of character to come from 2-0 down. And it was important we did not go to Chichester on Saturday on the back of another defeat.”
He felt second half subs Naim Rouane and Jamie Weston played themselves into a probable start in that match and was delighted with the performance of defender Paul Clarke. It was Clarke’s error that led to veteran Phil Churchill bundling Midhurst into a third minute lead but after that he warmed to his task.
The wholehearted defender never gives less than 100 per cent and will surely be a great asset on his return to Colwell Road. He has been playing in the Mid Sussex League for Hurstpierpoint Reserves this season.
Rangers had a few decent glimpses of Midhurst’s goal but things looked bleak when on the half hour Lewis Hyde’s excellent free kick delivery was knocked in by James Campbell.
It was nine minutes later when Rangers got a foothold as Williamson’s poor goalkick only found Peter Martin and he beat the keeper low inside his lefthand post.
Martin had forced a save from much the same position a minute earlier and it was the same Rangers player who put them level on 75 minutes when Rouane twice charged down attempted clearances.
It was four minutes into extra time when they got their noses in front for the first time when Weston showed exquisite skills with a drag back and controlled finish after being found by Luke Akehurst.
That should have been comeback complete but more poor defending enabled Nick Taylor to head the equaliser three minutes from the end.
Successful penalties by Rouane, Olly Davies and Lehkyj, together with the latter’s two saves, then finally took them through to the last 16.
St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team 3 - 3 Midhurst & Easebourne