Match Report
Match Report - 25 Feb 2012, St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team beat Hailsham
Rangers 1 Hailsham 1 (Rangers win 4-3 on pens)
Rangers dominated the match against their high flying Division 2 hosts but needed penalties to progress. They has a stone wall penalty denied in extra time after Romain was clearly fouled from behind when clean through. Players and management from both sides both accepted it should have been a penalty but for some reason the linesman only 10 yards away could not see what everyone else could. It sums up the luck of the club this season, that's 9 clear cut penalty claims denied this year.
Rangers had 36 shots in the 120 minutes but found the visiting keeper Tye in superb form and hit the woodwork 3 times. Time and again he made saves to deny a host of Rangers players, on another day Pamment could have had 2 hat tricks! At the other end Rangers defended superbly and kept 50 goal strikers Saunders and Leach quiet, limiting the visitors to just 3 shots in the entire game.
Rangers has to make changes with O Neil having left the club, Tom Barnes came in at right back, and with Forward and Cooper nursing injuries Romain and Gacias came into midfield. The trio all had superb games, with Romain energy and quality on the ball particularly impressive.
Rangers started well with Gacias involved heavily and he tested Tye with 2 long range efforts, then lucky to escape a booking after a heavy tackle on the visiting centre back which eventually put him out of the game. The officials were atrocious for both sides and played an instrumental role in the outcome.
On 18 minutes the visitors took the lead with the first and only shot of the first half. Charker was fouled as he went for the ball, with Walsh then hitting a clearance straight to Leach who drilled home from 25 yards. Gordon got a strong hand to it but couldn't keep it out, probably a bit disappointed.
The goal stunned the home side for a while but eventually they got back on track, with Romain behind everything positive. He had a chance to shoot but came back inside and had his shot blocked. His pressure won the ball back which saw Perry shoot just wide.
Rangers equalised on 25 minutes with a goal of real quality. Romain pressure won him the ball, he hit a fabulous pass in behind the full back for Perry to cross deep with Pamment bravely sliding home.
Rangers then broke from a corner, Romain released Perry who had a shot well saved. From the resultant corner Charker missed his header but the ball fell to Whiteford on the edge of the box. Some great quick feet allowed him the chance to shoot but again it was well saved.
Rangers domination forced a succession of corners in the last quarter of the first half. Whiteford had a shot deflected wide, before Perry returned the favour to Romain who headed just wide, stretching just too far.
Romain hit the woodwork before Walsh shot over. Some great pressure from Gacias from a goal kick saw Pamment take too long to shoot.
On 41 minutes Pamment smashed a free kick which was brilliantly tipped on the bar. Clark had a shot saved and Perry follow up was well blocked.
The second half followed a similar fashion.
Pamment had a great chance to score within seconds but the keeper stood firm. Barnes smashed wide after a long throw then an audacious over head kick from Romain went just wide.
Romain pressure won the ball deep in the visitors half and he put Pammy through but a great covering tackle denied a goal scoring chance. On 62 minutes Hailsham had their best chance of the half but a synical tackle by Clark saw him scathe down Saunders when through, earning him a yellow card. Leach's free kick was saved low down by Gordon, his only save of the game.
Forward replaced Gacias on 67 minutes and he immediately released Pamment who had his chip saved.
Rangers had a 6 on 3 on the break but Poples shot was brilliantly blocked. Pamment delivered superb set pieces all afternoon and from another effort Whiteford shot over.
On 75 minutes Perry was injured after a late tackle and Pople came on and he had a shot cleared off the line and the follow up blocked. Pamment went through but his effort was saved again, before hitting the post.
Pamment shot wide on the volley after a good Barnes cross, and then when clean through after a gift form the keeper the ball bobbled as her hit it. Romain broke through again and his cross saw Pamments effort saved, then minutes later Romains shot came back off the post before it was cleared to safety. Whiteford chose to shoot when he should have squared as Rangers turned up the heat.
Somehow the 90 minutes ended 1-1 but the extra time carried on with Rangers missing more chances. They were also denied that clear penalty claim which would have put them in from for the first time.
Matt Whiteford had a chance to cross to Pamment unmarked at the far post but his mishit cross was cleared. Pople then hit a shot on the turn just wide of the far post.
In the second half of injury time Jake Forward went on a brilliant run but saw his shot blocked. 16 year old Ryan Collins came on for his senior debut and had a 30 yard daisy cutter saved.
Rangers had more chances to wrap it up but the game went to penalties. Walsh missed the first effort but Hailsham also missed their first effort. Pople, Pamment, Charker and Romain all scored and Gordon was the hero saving the 5th penalty.
Team: Gordon, Dodd, Barnes, Charker, Walsh, Pamment, Whiteford (Collins 112 mins), Gacias (Forward 67 mins), Romain, Perry (75 mins Pople), Clark
MOM: Romain, absolutely outstanding
St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team 1 - 1 Hailsham