J&L Utd vs AFC Prospect Farm Rangers.
Sunday 16th October 2016.
10.30am Farlington.
RAMPANT RANGERS RUN RIOT.
AFC Prospect Farm Rangers at last delivered what they had been threatening all season this week, a tally of goals that was required to embed confidence in their finishing that had been lacking in previous weeks. Up against a J&L Utd team that has yet to find their feet in the league the Rangers were confident that they should have the upper foot in this game.
At the start both teams found the conditions difficult to handle as it was almost impossible to judge where a high or long ball would end up in the swirling winds around Farlington Marshes. Rangers were trying to play the long ball through the J&L defence but time after time it was carried over the bar or wide and into the distance. Frustration was setting in and it took the cool head of Rangers skipper Andy Bellinger to settle the team with some inspirational words and it wasn’t long before the Rangers took the lead they deserved after having all the early possession.
On the 20th minute mark a neat through ball from just outside the J&L box from Sally Doran found Kyle Needham in space to calmly place the ball past the advancing keeper and the relief of breaking the deadlock was clear.
From this moment on the Rangers took complete control and after some clever link up play between Rangers Ryan Tout and Blake Bicknell the ball again found Kyle Needham in space to slot home Rangers second in the 25 minute. Rangers now had full control in the middle of the park and just seven minutes later Tom Cross chanced his luck with a shot from distance which nestled nicely in the back of the net past the flat footed, stranded keeper.
Half time, 3-0 up and the Rangers must have been wondering just how they hadn’t scored more in the first 45 minutes, it had been so one sided that the Rangers keeper Dave Hunter had to re-introduce himself to his team mates after having to deal with just three back passes all game so far.
The second half underway and it was clear that Rangers had learnt from the first half as they started to play the ball out from defence and up through the ranks with some quick passing football.
It was only a couple of decent saves from the J&L keeper that kept the score down early on until in the 57th minute a ball down the left from Ryan Tout found Kyle Needham who carried the ball some distance before crossing to Blake Bicknell to slot home his first and Rangers forth.
30 minutes gone, 4-0 up and the play all one way Rangers made three quick substitutions. Making way were Matt Chase and Andy Till who had dealt with what they had had to in the Rangers defence and Blake Bicknell who had run the J&L defence ragged all morning. Entering play were Lee Callaghan up front and Ryan Doran along with a welcome return after a long injury lay off of by Jon Crowley in defence.
With confidence now oozing through the Rangers veins and J&L heads hanging low the Rangers pushed on with great effect and it was a fresh Lee Callaghan just off the bench who made it 5-0 in the 65th minute. Tiago Ferreira opened his seasons account with a well-deserved brace in the 70th and 73rd minute, Kyle Needham claimed his third and forth in the 76th and 79th minute.
The goal of the day was scored by John Wake who in the 82nd minute picked the ball up mid-way in the J&L half took a touch and hit a sweet 35 yarder into the roof of the net, silence fell for a couple of seconds before the Rangers players realised what they had just witnessed and joined in with John Wakes rare occasion of a goal celebration.
Lee Callaghan and Tom Cross each added to their tallies to grab a brace each in the 88th and 90th minute.
Full time, 12-0 to the Rangers and J&L have the prospect of meeting them again next week in a return league fixture. Another game where Rangers must be quietly confident of ramping up their goal difference and gaining another three points so as to keep them in touch with the leagues early front runners.
Also an honourable mention for the rangers keeper David Hunter who not only kept his first clean sheet of the season he also completed 3 Sudoku puzzles, cleared 7 candy crush levels and updated his much neglected twitter account, all in 90 minutes.
