Match Report
Match Report - 19 Nov 2011, St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team lost to AFC Uckfield
Rangers had to make several changes for their trip to AFC Uckfield, having lost 3 defenders which helped them to their first clean sheet last week. In came Andrew Knott, Charm Dube and fit again Tom Djamaludin, with Dan Griffin replacing injured Mhueka up front.
Rangers never really got going on a bog of a pitch, which made it pretty much impossible to play any passing football. It suited AFC Uckfield direct approach to the lone striker supported from deep runners from midfield.
Other than a couple of defensive lapses Rangers looked fairly comfortable early on with Josh Perry offering great pace down the right. Unfortunately he had to come off with a sickness bug after half and hour with Barnes replacing him and slotting in a full back with Knott pushing further forward.
The pitch meant the game was a poor spectacle but on 30 minutes AFC Uckfield got in down the right and an excellent cross was headed home, unmarked from 6 yards. Rangers did hit back straight away with one of their best moves of the first half. After a serious of passes Daley Clark played a neat ball to Pamment who did superbly to curl home from the edge of the box.
Rob Gordon had another faultess game in goal and had to save well to keep Rangers level at the break.
The second half was even more uneventful than the first. Despite the poor surface Rangers still tried to play on the deck and at one point a 15 pass move ended with Rouanne firing over. It was when Rangers passed the ball they looked most dangerous but they found it difficult with the ball getting stuck in the mud.
On 70 minutes AFC Uckfield re took the lead when poor marking allowed a free shot at goal. As the ball looked to go in Djamaludin tried to clear only to smash the ball in to his own net. Charlie Romain came on to make his debut as Rangers went on search of an equaliser.
Rangers lost Pamment to a tight hamstring, replaced by Arnoux. They tried lots of new systems to try and get back in the game, desperately trying to get their danger man Griffin on the ball more, but without success. In fact it probably ended up with Rangers disjointed as they tried too many positional changes. In the final few minutes AFC Uckfield scored twice more to give the scoreline an unflattering look which was harsh on the visitors.
Overall the home side coped better with the conditions and with Rangers not quite at their best AFC deserved their win.
Gordon, Knott (70mins Romain), Dube, Djamaludin, Dodd, Pamment (78mins Arnoux), Cooper, Clark, Perry (30mins Barnes), Rouanne, Griffin
MOM: Dodd
AFC Uckfield 4 - 1 St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team