Match Report
Match Report - 30 Aug 2011, St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team drew with Redhill
Rangers character earnt them a point at title favourites Redhill. They will be disappointed to let a 2 goal lead slip but they can take huge credit for a point.
Martin O Rouke continued his great form and made a superb save after 5 minutes. His agility somehow allowed him to tip over a close range header.
An even first half saw Rangers go close early on with Pamment looking especially dangerous.
It was his long range effort that gave them an early lead, firing home from 25 yards.
Minutes after breaking the deadlock Rangers lost Djamaludin to another groin injury. It was whilst Rangers were down to 10 men that the home side had their best spell. Twice Luke Akehurst, moving to centre back, had to make last ditch tackles to thwart the home side. Hollick also cleared off the line after the ball broke kindly for the home striker.
The home side really had their tails up and Rangers had to defend for their lives. The ball did not stick up top so the ball kept coming back and wave after wave of attacks were pushed back by a resolute Rangers team.
O Rouke made 2 more fine stops to keep the score 1-0 at half time to Rangers.
Despite warnings of a Redhill onslaught Rangers started second period sloppy and they were lucky that Aitkin just missed a cross across goal direct from the restart, where Rangers gifted away possession.
After that opening 10 minutes of the second period saw Rangers have their best spell. For 15 minutes they controlled play and a lovely move involving, Clark, Gacias, Archer and Mitchell allowed Cooper to play a lovely first time pass but Walsh was not able to tap home. That was Walsh last action as he was replaced by Mheuka and he made an immediate impact with some neat quick feet.
Another neat piece of skill set Pamment through and as the defender missed his kick he calmly finished for his and Rangers second of the game.
As the second half wore on it was a story or aerial bombardment from the home side. They piled cross after cross in to the Rangers box but Akehurst, Clark, Dodd and Hollick were immense, protecting their young keeper. The home side also missed a couple of good headed chances at he far post as Rangers clung on.
Rangers were getting deeper and deeper and finally the break of the ball went for the home side. As the ball bounced round the box Pamment switched off for a second and allowed sub Moore the chance to squeeze the ball home at the far post.
Then as the game entered injury time Redhill equalised. The original header from another deep cross was not cleared and the ball fell straight for Westcott to drill home from 6 yards.
Redhill could have won it deep into injury time but another amazing save saw O Rouke tip the ball onto the bar.
Team: O Rouke, Dodd, Akehurst, Hollick, Djamaludin (15 minutes Cooper), Archer, Gacias, Mitchell (80mins Cocks), Walsh (60mins Mheuka), Pamment, Clark.
Yellows: Walsh (15 minutes tackle), Hollick (90 minutes dissent).
MOM: Close between Akehurst and Hollick for their brave defending but goes to Terry Gacias.
Kieron Collins, Rangers manager said afterwards "It was a fantastic performance from the whole team. Luke Akehurst and Jason Hollick defended superbly, throwing their body on the line time and time again. That's the character we are looking for. If you had offered me a point against a side with a budget of £1100 per week I would have bitten your hand off. But letting a 2 goal lead slip in the last 5 minutes hurts but it shows just how far we have come to be disappointed with just a point here."
Redhill 2 - 2 St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team