Match Report
Match Report - 18 Nov 2008, St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team lost to Eastbourne U.A.
St Francis Rgrs 1
EastbourneUtd Assoc 2
By Chris Francis
RANGERS have made a reassuring habit of bouncing back swiftly from disappointments but not so on Tuesday when the weekend’s Vase exit was followed by another poor display.
There were far too many players having an off night and manager Dan Bryan said injuries and absentees were now starting to take a toll. But even so, there could be no excuse for some woeful distribution.
Clearly there was no lack of effort or will but perhaps some of their more competitive performers were trying just a little too hard. The frustration was plain to see on the faces and in the actions of the likes of skipper Dan O’Farrell, midfielder Terry Gacias and left winger Chris Maynard.
Boss Bryan actually felt his side played some of their best possession football of the season before the break but while that may have been a generous view, they certainly created chances and nearly all of them fell to Phil Gault inside the first 16 minutes.
It was hoped a hat-trick for the reserves on Friday would have boosted confidence but the talented striker squandered some gilt-edged openings. If one had gone in, it may have been a different story for him and his ailing team.
Gault had been recalled after missing the Vase tie through suspension and leading scorer Sam Jeremiah was relegated to the subs bench - no doubt as a gentle wake-up call after scoring only twice in the previous eight games.
After Saturday’s disappointing show at Molesey, Rangers could have done without conceding a goal only three minutes in. The pace of Ryan Alexander put them under pressure but he had no right to beat Simon Lehkyj from an almost impossible angle, albeit with a well struck shot.
Gault’s early chances probably numbered five and the best of them were a shot straight at the keeper after a clever interchange with Ian Breeds, another strike yards over when a Maynard corner was only half cleared and then a tame far post header from Maynard’s excellent cross.
On 21 minutes Lehkyj did superbly to save on the line at the second attempt from Sam Crabb but four minutes later had little chance when Joe Haffenden’s effort was blocked, only to to fall for Crabb to hit in a rasping drive.
That stemmed from Rangers failing to deal with a corner and a measure of their frustration came as Lehkyj and Gault had a heated exchange, with each finding fault with the other. Lehkyj berated the striker for slack marking and Gault retaliated with: “Well, you should have punched it further.”
But a minute later Rangers threw themselves a lifeline when a free kick was played square to Gacias, whose left foot shot from distance left visiting keeper Nick Maynard rooted to the spot.
To be fair to the keeper, he had just received lengthy treatment and had his left ankle heavily strapped. Indeed, he was in a desperate state for the rest of the match and it was criminal neglect that Rangers hardly tested him after that.
Gacias had one long distance effort on target and the problems Maynard had dealing with that should have encouraged the hosts to shoot on sight.
In the second half all they managed until the closing minutes was another Gacias effort that Maynard made a real mess of scrambling around a post.
The visiting keeper did seem to recover a little in the closing stages but that was probably due to being able to rest up his injury as Rangers failed to test him.
Home centre half O’Farrell was pushed forward late on and Lehkyj came up for a set-piece but it came to nothing and almost inevitably they were hit on the break in stoppage time when Ben Billings set up Crabb for his second.
St Francis Rangers FC 1st Team 1 - 3 Eastbourne U.A.