A fantastic game saw the Lions come from behind and survive a second half comeback from our fellow West Molesey tenants. Both sides produced some memorable goals in a match that was in the balance until the final whistle.
Our results against Rangers have varied wildly over the seasons as they are a good team but much like us, they seem to have a random number of players turn up from week to week. This time it was our turn to bring a full squad of 15 players, whilst they were the one struggling for numbers.
We almost got off to a perfect start in the first minute too, when Max got put through by Ben inside the area, controlling the pass nicely and with his next touch shaping a shot past the onrushing keeper. The ball just didn't have enough curl on it to bring it back inside the post.
We were doing most of the attacking in the initial stages but they were the ones who went ahead. They attacked down our left and their player managed to get past both Nick S and Si to put in a cross that caused a bit of a scramble in the the six-yard area. Paul made a good point blank save, but the rebound was poked over the line from less than a yard out.
We put the pressure on again and Rob had a good chance that was just tipped over the bar by the keeper, Max saw an effort ping back off the bar, but we had no joy until Ben stepped up with the equaliser. The culmination of some flowing football saw Max weave his way into the penalty area, get his head up and touch the ball onto Ben all on his own to the left of the goalmouth. He got it out of his feet and passed the ball almost through the keeper to get us back at level pegging.
Ben nearly added another when he made a great turn and shot from the right side of goal but his rising shot was turned over the bar by the keeper. At the other end, Paul had to be at full stretch to turn a skidding long range shot past the post.
Some decent football was being played by both sides and chances and half-chances were coming at either end, but our second goal came out of nothing. Rob, doing his usual trick of holding the centre of the park without seeming to go vey far in either direction, got the ball at his feet midway into the opposition half. I think he took a quick look before launching a shot goalwards, but since he's been trying the same thing all season, it may have just been a reflex response. This time though, it came off spectactularly well as the ball flew over the stretching keeper into the back of the net. A fantastic goal to get our noses in front, but it was arguably bettered by our third.
I think we may have had a corner from the left, although the ball pinged around a bit, ending up back on the left side for Ben to put in another cross which went all the way across the goal. At the other side was Mussa, who we all thought was just going to knock it back into the danger area. Happily for us, he chose to meet the ball on the half volley and smash it inside the far post, doubling our lead before half-time.
We had a few other chances that we couldn't put away but we ended the half on top and were frankly buzzing from the level of football we'd been playing and the worldies that we'd scored. That little bit of self-satisfaction might help explain why the second half was so crazy.
Rangers came at us hard in the opening few minutes and suddenly we struggled to clear our lines, get tackles in and play the way we had been in the first half. Nelson was on for Max, but he was struggling for service , as we were all struggling to cope with Rangers pressure on the ball and the tempo of their passing. The opening goal of the half inevitably came from them, as they cut through us with a slick passing move aided by some ineffective defending and finished with a low shot that gave Paul no chance.
That said, we responded with a slick move of our own straight from kick off. No Rangers player touched the ball between the restart and Ben getting to their byline to put in a peach of a cross for Nelson to head down past the keeper.
Advantage restored, but not the confidence and we were again undone when we lost the ball upfield and were left scrambling to get back to defend the counter-attack. The ball went out to our left and when the cross came in, their big number 9 got between Nath and Simon to head in Rangers' third.
Harry managed to get himself booked for simlulation in the penalty area after his avoidance of an incoming tackle was deemed a bit too theatrical by the ref, who for the most part had a decent game. I think Rangers hit the bar again in their hunt for the equaliser but our next goal came courtesy of some excellent pressure of our own. Scott, making his season debut, won the ball in the middle of he park and started a move that culminated with Harry slipping a ball out to Nelson on the right side of goal that seemed to send him a little too wide to keep the momentum of the attack going. Nelson is on a serious hot streak at the moment though, so not only did he still get in a shot across the face of the goal but he kept it inside the far post, despite the keeper getting a hand to it.
The last word on the goals was still to come and with respect to Rob's and Mussa's efforts from the first half (which seemed a very long time ago at this stage), it was probably the goal of the game.
We gave the oppo far too much time on the ball in the midfield throughout the second half and a short interchange of passes brought the oppo player to the edge of the area on our right. With no-one closing him down, he was free to curl the ball up and down over Paul, who could only watch like the rest of us as the ball nestled into the far side of the goal.
There was still time for Rangers to hit the bar yet again (three times they hit the bar in this game), as we desperately tried to make it through to full time without conceding further. Ahmed put in some great tackles down our right to stop the supply of crosses and the team as a whole put in some great defensive work to see us through. We could even have extended our lead when Nelson got his head to a high through ball ahead of the keeper, but he couldn't direct the header on target.
In the end, we were just mighily relieved to hear the final whistle and take the three points. We didn't make it easy for ourselves and full credit to Rangers for winning the second half, but for now derby day belongs to the Lions.
