Match Report
Match Report - 13 Sep 2008, St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team beat Seaford Town
Saturday 13th September 2008
St Francis Rangers 2 – 1 Seaford Town
Sussex County FA RUR Cup Round One
Match Report by Gary Lomas
Not pretty but into the next round
After the mid week disappointment Dan Bryan made a few changes by bringing Geoff Pitcher and Terry Gacias back in to midfield and it was good to see Ben Palmer back from injury when he took his place on the bench. Seaford Town are flying high at the top end of County 2 and gave Pagham a run for their money in last Saturday’s John O’Hara League Cup match but were once again on the end of a 2-1 defeat. Seaford showed their intent right from the start and forced Lehkyj into a save directly from a corner. Seaford’s Alex Keaney proved to be a real menace all afternoon with his ability from dead ball situations and it always down his side that Seaford got in behind Rangers far too easily.
The returning Terry Gacias was unlucky that his neat chest down and volley fell kindly to Adam Laundon in the Seaford goal and he was even happier to Chris Maynard fire wide when through one on one moments later. Rangers found their passing game with Phil Gault at the heart of it and he should have done better when firing into Laundon’s arms. Seaford’s Liam Keith was proving a handful up front and we was unlucky when he shot straight at Lehkyj on the quarter hour. However, it was Rangers who opened the scoring with the first real piece of quality. Skipper Dan O’Farrell brought the ball out with real purpose and when carried on his run, Sam Jeremiah found him with a tidy one two. O’Farrell’s rasping drive proved too hot to handle for Laundon as the ball squirmed through his gloves. Rangers could have added 2 more goals to their tally when Gault and Jeremiah were both guilty of heading over from close range. Rangers then nearly gifted Seaford a goal when Tom Djamaluddin’s back pass left Lehkyj stranded and he was fortunate to see his clearance hit O’Farrell and go behind for a corner. One again Keaney delivered an in-swinging corner which Lehkyj did well to tip over.
Rangers started the 2nd half brightly and a great cross from Iain Wood looked to have found Gault at the back post only for Keaney to get in a last ditch tackle and evade the danger. Rangers then doubled their lead when a delicately floated Pitcher free kick was headed home at the back post by Gault. Rather than Rangers pushing on to finish the game off, they sat back and gave Seaford far too much of the ball and Djamaluddin was lucky not to put through his own net when his header came back off he bar. Rudd Turpin was being given a torrid time down the left and he was struggling to get to grips with Chris Stanyard who turned him easily to cross and fortunately Archie Macabie could not convert. It was that combination that got Seaford back in it on the hour. From a Rangers corner, Seaford broke quickly and Macabie found Stanyard who made no mistake with his finish. Ben Palmer replaced Luke Leppard and Elliott Butler came on for Geoff Pitcher but the changes did not change the balance of play. Sam Kelly should have equalised when he git in behind Rangers back four too easily but he fired wide. However, Rangers still looked dangerous when they went forward even if it wasn’t that often. Iain Wood saw his shot cleared off the line for a corner and Sam Jeremiah really should have done better with his header from the resulting Maynard corner. Butler then went close from distance and Turpin nearly put through his own goal to give Seaford the draw they probably deserved.
“Not pretty but we must take the win as a positive result. We gave the ball away far too easily at times and they caused us problems at the back. However, we had plenty of chances to finish them off in the first half”. Said Rangers Boss Dan Bryan. “We will have to be much better next Saturday when we entertain Westfield from the Combined Counties League in the FA Vase. I am sure the boys will be well up for it as it is the first time our club has been in this fantastic competition”.
Rangers: Lehkyj, Leppard, Turpin, Djamaluddin, O’Farrell, Gacias, Wood, Pitcher, Jeremiah, Gault, Maynard. Subs: B.Palmer (Leppard 61), Butler (Pitcher 65), Breeds (Maynard 72), Forward unused.
St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team 2 - 1 Seaford Town