Match Report
Match Report - 10 Sep 2011, St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team lost to South Park
Rangers failed to score at home for the 3rd match of the season.
South Park started slowly and Rangers had a great opportunity to press the hosts back but never got going. Players failed to really assert themselves and the final difference between to two teams was the overall desire to win.
Against a pretty poor South Park team they still did enough to justify their win. A reflection of just how poor the home side performance was.
Overall more South Park players wanted it more then Rangers, a very disappointing element for the management. Far too many home players played at 60/70% rather then really push themselves and do the extra effort to either beat their opponent or create that bit of space. The poor mental side was reflected in the majority of the players being flat footed and not on their toes, resulting in some pretty horrendous passing and first touches.
Until the players show that sharpness and desire the team will continue to struggle. Far too many players play for themselves rather than play as a team and we have a lot of hard work to get the team playing together and finding that right balance.
The first half was a non event as neither side looked any real threat, failing to do many of the basin things right - like passing, movement. South Park had a couple of efforts inside the box that Harris saved. The home keeper did spill one effort but was quick to react and thwart the striker. Louis Pople had an excellent chance to score but his close range effort waws put wide after a superb Pamment cross.
Pamment was showing the main danger down Rangers left and from one of the only decent passages of play his cross failed to trouble the home defence. Just before the break Rangers bets moment came when Akehurst finally got forward and slipped in Martin. He powered in tot he box but his effort was well blocked.
The second half continued in a similar fashion but Rangers did show a slight improvement for 15 minutes. Pople went clean through but the keeper stood up well and saved his drive.
Brown replaced Walsh as Martin was pushed up top to offer more pace in behind. But the full back was an fault allowing the wide player far too much time to get a shot away. It was a weak effort but somehow the ball squeezed through Harris body.
You expected a rally from the home side but it never really came. The closest they got was a great cross from the right by sub Archer was met at the back post but Pamment volleyed wide of an empty net.
South Park looked the more likely to score after that and Harris had to be alert on a few occasions to keep them in the game.Rangers pushed men forward but in stoppage time the result was sealed on the break.
Team: Harris, Akehurst (Macfie 77mins), Davies, Hollick, Dodd, Gacias, Cooper (Archer 70mins), Martin, Pamment, Walsh (62 mins Brown), Pople
MOM - Pamment
St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team 0 - 2 South Park