This game was to prove a measure of how far Town had come since the opening game of the season where Rangers blew Town away 8-1 at Dunley Way. It was hard enough travelling to the league leaders but the task was made harder with injuries ruling out Ross Proud, James Frost and John Mcdade.
It was an horrendous day to play football on a boggy pitch and gale force winds making for a scrappy game. Neither side created much in the opening 20 minutes with the best chance falling to Rangers when a shot from just inside the area crashed back off the underside of the bar. Another effort from distance minutes later was neatly turned round the post by Smith. The only chance Town could fashion was a volley from Aubrey that flew inches over the bar. The game burst into life on 43 minutes when a neat Town passing move ended with the ball falling to Aubrey who smashed the ball goalwards but the keeper tipped it onto the post. The ball had clearly crossed the line but Aubrey made sure as the rebound fell to him to tap into an empty net. In an even first half it was just the tonic Town needed before half time. In a game where there had been no injuries and no stoppages the referee played 5 minutes of injury time and in the fifth minute awarded a freekick that was an awful decision. The cross resulted in a corner which Town defended poorly and allowed the Rangers skipper to head home unchallenged. Of course as soon as the kick off was taken the referee blew for half-time. HT HR 1-1 LTFC
The second half began poorly for Town as Rangers took the lead inside 5 minutes with the centre forward slotting home from inside the area. The wind got stronger throughout the afternoon and ruined what was turning out to be a tight game. In all honesty Town created very little in the second half struggling to come to terms with the conditions. That being said, Rangers dominated possession but created very little of their own. The only taking point in the last half an hour was a deliberate elbow thrown at Aiden Ramkissoon which the referee inexplicably gave a free kick the other way and let both players off with a ‘talking to’. The game fizzled out from there and although Town had been narrowly defeated it was a sign of how far they have come this season. There is still work to be done with a number of difficult away games coming up between now and the end of January. If the team stick together and keep working for each other the success will come. FT HR 2-1 LTFC
