Match Report
Match Report - 28 Oct 2008, St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team beat Lingfield
Tuesday 28th October 2008
Lingfield 2 – 3 St Francis Rangers
Sussex County Football League Division 1
RANGERS bounced back after Saturday’s below par performance with a very hard working display and having to do it the hard way to take all 3 points. Lingfield played a very well drilled style of football which for half an hour, Rangers struggled to deal with defensively but were still looking okay offensively. Dan Bryan was looking for a response tonight and when he saw his side go 2 behind in 17 minutes and both goals really being gifted to the hosts he was probably thinking it wasn’t going to be his night. Rangers have already proved on their travels they are a hard side to beat and once again came back from being 2-0 down and take all 3 points.
Sam McCarthy was a real threat in the opening half hour for Lingfield and it was him who put them 1-0 up after just 2 minutes. A mix up in the middle of the park saw Dan O’Farrell and Ben Palmer on their heals as McCarthy was put through the middle and comfortably slotted passed Si Lehkyj. 2 minutes later it could have been worse for Rangers when Lehkyj called but never got anywhere near the ball and he thankful to his skipper O’Farrell for getting in a good block. Even though Rangers were struggling with Lingfield’s direct approach, they did manage to carve out some good chances at the other end. Sam Jeremiah twice went close and Iain wood blazed over from the edge of the box after some good link up play with Phil Gault. McCarthy then got his and Lingfield’s 2nd when Rangers failed to deal with a long goal kick, McCarthy fired home from inside the 6 yard box. Gault was next to go close for Rangers and Lingfield will probably think they deserved a penalty when Ben Palmer looked to have brought McCarthy down in the box but the ref waved play on. Just passed the half hour, Rangers got the goal they desperately needed and there was no surprise that it came from top goal scorer, Sam Jeremiah. Tom Djamaluddin and Jake Forward were getting plenty of the ball down the right and when Forward was pulled down, Chris Maynard whipped in a free kick which Jeremiah headed home from close range. Rangers went in at half time with their tails up and you could see the confidence draining from the Lingfield players as they walked in for their half time cupper.
With Rangers attacking down the hill, the next 45 minutes pretty much saw Rangers camped in the hosts half. Whereas the first half saw Terry Gacias and Iain Wood bi-passed by the Lingfield long ball, the 2nd half was totally different with the two of them starting to run the game. Maynard and Forward were a constant threat out on the flanks and it was a free kick from Gacias on 57 that saw Dan O’Farrell fire Rangers level. Sam Jeremiah tried a speculative volley and the ball fell kindly to Rangers skipper and he drilled the ball home from 10 yards out. Jeremiah could have put Rangers 3-2 up moments later when he was put through by Gault but he failed to get the ball out of his feet and miss-kicked. Gacias and Wood both tried their luck from distance before on 70 minutes; O’Farrell got Rangers 3rd with a really well taken diving header from a Maynard corner. Sam Palmer was introduced on 79 minutes for Sam Jeremiah and his pace had an instant impact and he twice went close in a few minutes. Gault’s frustration showed late on when he went in the book for remonstrating too passionately. Lingfield failed to test Lehkyj in the entire second half such was Rangers dominance with the ball.
“Lingfield are a tough side to beat here as they play their pitch perfectly. They get the ball forward quickly and use their wide players well and we failed to deal with it for 20 minutes.” Said Rangers boss Dan Bryan. “However, I always knew that we would get chances and we needed one before half time which we got and it changed the game. I thought we were good in the 2nd half as we retained the ball much better and we got at them whereas the 1st half we couldn’t keep hold of the ball when we had it.” “Some of the players looked tired tonight as we have had a really busy schedule what with us still being in 3 cups.” “Tonight was a big game for the boys and we came away with a well earned 3 points which will give us confidence for the trip to East Preston on Saturday.”
Rangers: Lehkyj, Djamaluddin, Butler, B.Palmer, O’Farrell, Gacias, Wood, Forward, Jeremiah, Gault, Maynard: Subs: S.Palmer (Jeremiah 79), Walton, Harris, Turpin, Slade all unused.
Lingfield 2 - 3 St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team