Match Report: Kirk Deighton Rangers 6 v 0 Aberford Albion

A scintillating first-half performance, sprinkled with a dash of good fortune, saw Rangers build a four-goal advantage, which was increased to six in the second half.

Deighton welcomed back the quintet of Jonty Smith, Craig Hall and Joe Barden into the starting line-up, and Ali Thompson and Charlie Yates on the bench.

Aberford made the early running, and a weaving dribble from the striker created a chance to shoot, however, as he struck the ball, he lost his footing, and his shot went wide of Smith’s goal.

Rangers were gaining momentum down the wings, and several times combination play featuring Jack and Rob Holliday, Craig Hall and Josh Barden all threatened to create a chance for the home side to capitalise on.

A heavy touch from Ash Tatler allowed an Aberford defender to take the ball away from him and deliver a long pass down the pitch. Running at the Deighton back-line, the attacker was momentarily stopped by a sliding challenge from Hall. Gathering the ball again, he had to hurry, and his cross went out for a throw-in.

Joe Barden was controlling the midfield, and it was his range of passing that drove Rangers forward. Another through ball picked out Rob Holliday, and he hit a shot from just outside the area that the keeper had covered.

With Aberford enjoying a spell in Deighton’s area, Smith had to produce a fine tip over to prevent an in-swinging corner from beating him.

Ashley Tatler controls the ball as Aberford close him down.

Minutes later, with the visitor’s threatening again, Smith had to be alert and rush out to block a low shot, which was finally cleared by Rob Holliday.

Rangers took the lead in the 27th minute via an own goal by a defender. Joe Barden reacted quickest to a poor clearance and delivered a curling cross which was headed past the keeper, who slipped trying to get to the ball.

A series of free-kicks and corners provided several half chances to try and get another shot towards the Aberford goal. However, Deighton found the visitor’s defence a stubborn entity to breakdown, and on the rare occasion that they did get through, courtesy of a fiercely struck long-range shot by Joe Turley, Aberford’s keeper proved equal with a tremendous diving save to push the shot over.

Deighton increased their lead in the 32nd minute, and it was probably intended as a cross, but James Woodward’s cross-shot dropped over the keeper’s head, hit the far post and fell into the net.

While the first two goals were graced by a hint of luck, Rangers third was a product of sheer determination and strength, as Hall out-muscled the defender, latched onto Smith’s long goal-kick and Tatler's flick before drilling his shot under the keeper.

A quick counter-attack by Aberford nearly caught Rangers out. Moving the ball across the pitch, the striker tried to loop his header over Smith, but the keeper was having none of it and produced a diving save to catch the ball.

The fourth goal arrived just before half-time, and it was no more than Deighton’s build-up play deserved. Luke Dubery controlled a difficult ball and passed to Tatler, who in turn picked out Jack Holliday. Shrugging off two defenders, he bent his shot round the keeper and into the net.

Half-Time: Kirk Deighton Rangers 4 v 0 Aberford Albion

The second period commenced with Rangers forced into making a change when Dubery was unable to continue following an injury he sustained in the first half. Instead, Josh Bhandal took up his position in the heart of the defence.

It was Aberford who bared their teeth first at the start of the second half, forcing Rangers to defend as the visitors looked for a way back into the game. A cleverly executed move down the left saw the yellow shirts cut into Deighton’s area, but Smith slid out to block the final shot.

With a long shot failing to trouble Smith, Aberford tried their luck from just outside the area again, but this time they were thwarted by Bhandal, who timed his tackle to perfection to knock the ball from the attacker.

Looking to add fresh legs to his side, Manager Dan Marshall replaced Woodward with Harvey Ribbons in the 62nd minute.

With the tide slowly starting to turn back into Rangers favour, it took another decent save from Smith, with his leg, to divert a low shot clear. Minutes later, the visitors shunned a glorious chance when a shot from the corner of the six-yard box ended up in the allotment’s behind Smith’s goal!

Precise passing between Joe and Josh Barden allowed the latter to scoop a pass into Ribbons' path. Getting his header away, it lacked the power to trouble the Aberford keeper, who collected it with ease.

Harvey Ribbons watches as his header is stopped by the Aberford keeper.

Ribbons was full of running, and his pace down the left-wing nearly carved out a chance for Tatler, but a defender got in the way, although Tatler’s persistence finally won Rangers a corner.

Tatler celebrated the end of his goal drought in the 74th minute when he reacted quickest to poke the ball home from close range. The striker needed two attempts after the keeper pulled off a good save to deflect Rob Holliday’s angled drive, and then blocked Tatler's first attempt. The goal saw the return onto the pitch of Ali Thompson, who replaced Jack Holliday.

There was a swagger to Rangers play, who were moving the ball well through the thirds. Thompson and Ribbons were heavily involved, and it was Thompson’s run and cross that was only inches away from being converted by Tatler.

The final goal came in the 82nd minute, and again it was Hall on the right flank that picked out Josh Barden in the six-yard box, and he swept the ball past the beleaguered keeper.

Smith saved his best until the end when he dived full length to his left to push the ball onto the post, following a long-distance shot that looked like it had beaten him.

Full-Time: Kirk Deighton Rangers 6 v 0 Aberford Albion

Squad: Smith, Hall, Turley, Barden.Joe, Large, Dubery, Woodward, Holliday.Rob, Barden.Josh, Tatler, Holliday.Jack. Subs: Bhandal (Dubery 46), Ribbons (Woodward 62), Thompson (Holliday.J 74) Unused: Yates, Plews.

Goals: Own Goal (27), Woodward (32), Hall (35), Holliday (45), Tatler (74), Barden.Josh (82)

Sin-Bin: Rangers (none), Aberford Albion (none)

Yellow Cards: Rangers (none), Aberford Albion (none)

Red Cards: Rangers (none), Aberford Albion (none)

Referee: Mr Justin Sales

The Bennett & Fountain Electrical Wholesalers Men of the Match award winners: Joe Barden and Craig Hall.