AFC Rangers clinch their second home win against Emerald vale and a crucial win for title hopes as this now places AFC Rangers in 3rd on equal points with Met Police who are in 2nd but Rangers with a game in hand have the oppurtunity secure second place behind Queens Head Sandridge aslong as they win their next game.
AFC started with a real sense of urgency and worked hard to gain the lead which came in the 25th minute from Chris Dew who was chasing the Vale defence down tirelessly and forced an opening from what many thought was a dead ball ot the right of the goal. The Vale keeper came off his line and Dew slotted it neatly past him for a deserved lead.
Rangers passed the Ball well and controlled the game as the Back four looked organised and strong as Rangers continued to create chance and test the Vale reserve keeper. Jimmy hill recieved the ball outside the box and found 2 yard of space and zipped a shot low and hard to the right of the keeper who could not get down quick enough and allowed Rangers to go 2-0 up. The Rangers attack did not faulter and contiuned to threaten with Dew, Hill, Burns and Smith often seeming to play as 4 strikers keeping Vale penned in their own half. Danger closing down the Vale defenders nicked the ball and drove past the defender and hit and un-stoppable shot low and hard into the bottom right hand corner to leave Rangers cruising within 40 minutes.
Disaster struck soon after as Rangers looked in-penetrable even with the pace of Craig Taylor threatening they held a high line and Taylor was caught offside on several occasions, however a mistake on the left hand side in the form of a missed tackle on the Vale winger allowed him to curl a ball in over the Rangers defence as Brophy tracked Taylor the ball bounced in front and Brophy failed to clear as he headed the ball to the ground Taylor got onto the end of this with Hill off his line he cooly finished in the top right leaving the Rangers defence bewildered!
Rangers were shell shocked afer againing controlling the game only to concede cheaply. Taylor broke free again with a long ball over the defence and Taylor sprinting through Brophy found himself wrong sided by the turn off pace and tried a hook tackle which fouled Taylor and took him to ground. Brophy recieved a straight red as he was the last man and left the pich for an early bath. Vales Taylor tested the Hill with a low hard strike to the left off the goal which he parried to his right, wiht Rangers seemingly asleep 3 vale attackers were allowed to be the first to the follow up and the Adam Fowler netted the rebound. 3-2. Rangers were forced to go to 4-4-1 with Dew sitting on the wing and Jim up-front.
Half time soon came and a dispondant Rangers walked in with their heads down. Clegg could only focus on the positives which were present in the way Rangers had controlled the game and created chances but now with 10 men Rangers had to grind out a result with a hard working team performance.
Chris Dew was subbed off early in the second half to unleash the return of the banned King. King responded excellently working out of position on the right wing, as he ran with confidence and pace at the retreating Vale defence. Rangers however were hit with another blow as a defensive mistake allowed Taylor to break through again slotting neatly past hill to level the score at 3-3.
However Rangers responded well and continued to threaten Vale rather than retreating into playing defensively Smith, Hill and King continued causing the Vale defence problems as they ran at them. Chris Dundon replaced Tommy Burns in centre mid to settle the ship with some fresh legs and produced an excellent perfomance from the bench with some good tackles and slick through balls.
King broke the Rangers deadlock as he broke through on the right skipping past the last man with only the keeper to beat he selflessly slid the ball to his left to the unmarked Smith who George Best esque ran to the goal line got on his knees and headed it in.
Rangers confidence grew as they held vale at bay working hard all over the field as the back 4 steadied with Pettsy man marking Taylor and Keano cleaning anyhting loose up.
King again broke through with a crossfield through ball from Hitchcock and paced pass both defenders with some silky footwork again King found himself 1 on 1 to kill the game off, and un-believably once again the King selflessly passed the ball to his left to the supporting Jimmy who had a simple tap in. King inspired the true team spirit and passion that make a true AFC RANGER and his decision making won the game for AFC. And so it was a KING was born and a newly fleged AFC RANGER spread his wings....... Dommett wathcing on looked up the line to Clegg as a tear appeared in both their eyes, it was beutiful truly beautiful.
Sapps came on to build a wall in the back 4 and he did this immediately as a Vale defender tried to hold the ball up with his back to goal, Sapps Rugby tackl ed the big lump out of his way and tossed him aside as he went on a run.
The team spirit and hardwork of the ten players won the day for Rangers and a well deserved 3 points are in the Bag.
COME ON THE BOYS!!!
