Match Report
Match Report - 21 Oct 2008, St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team beat Hailsham Town
St Francis Rgrs 2
Hailsham Town 1
by Chris Francis
IN ONE of the most open County League title races for years, Rangers showed on Tuesday why they could figure prominently in only their second season in the top flight.
To have so many reliable performers having a decidely bad off night and yet still winning, speaks volumes for how far they have progressed and that was not lost on manager Dan Bryan.
He said afterwards: “No we didn’t play at all well but if you can win games like that it makes all the difference to your season. I was pleased the way we squeezed them in the second half.”
The first half was a living nightmare for so many of their players and despite being without skipper Paul Richardson and fellow central defender Mark Reeve, a young Hailsham team deservedly turned around in front.The goal came three minutes before half time and was an exquisite curler by Callum Holles, just 17 and one of five youth players in the visitors’ line-up.
It was difficult to find a home player performing at anywhere near their best but at least Bryan and coach Chris Jones got a positive response to their half-time promptings. While it did not lift Rangers to any great heights, two goals in five minutes put them ahead by the 62nd minute and to be fair, they could have had more.
But battling Hailsham deserve some sympathy and had late chances of their own to have taken home at least a point. Caolan OReilly fired into the sidenetting when a more composed finish was required and then in stoppage time Scott McDonald was guilty of his second bad miss of the night.
McDonald had earlier been unlucky when immediately after his side fell behind, he believed he had scored only for Simon Lehkyj to pull off a marvellous save to his left.
Phil Gault was the squanderer of many of Rangers’ best chances. Twice in the first 21 minutes he failed to hit the target, the second miss almost criminal as he ballooned the ball over when it was laid on a plate by Sam Jeremiah.
But Hailsham were equally guilty as Sam Cole and McDonald spurned great chances before young Holles bucked the trend in some style.
A minute later Gault dragged his shot wide when played through by Jeremiah again.
Rangers were more up for it after the break and after Jeremiah’s first touch let him down when sent through by Gault, the team’s leading scorer showed just why that is so on 57 minutes. Skipper Dan O’Farrell’s excellent pass sent him through and this time the first touch was perfect and the finish equally impressive.
Five minutes later Jeremiah turned provider after good work by Jake Forward and this time Chris Maynard scored at the second attempt after teenage keeper Glen Jenner stopped the first effort with his legs.
O’Farrell headed over from a yard after a corner but it was Hailsham who had the late chances to change the result.
Rangers: Lehkyj; Walton, B Palmer, O’Farrell, Butler; Forward, Gacias, Wood, Maynard; Jeremiah, Gault. Subs: S Palmer (Forward, 65), Cook (Jeremiah, 75), Turpin, Harris & Baker (not used).
Middy Starman: Not awarded.
St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team 2 - 1 Hailsham Town