Rangers Veterans 2 v 2 Wetherby Veterans

KDRAFC Media
Apr 18, 2021
3 min read

"This result feels like a defeat." was joint-manager Steve Smith's assessment after a late goal for Wetherby Veterans had snatched two points from Deighton's grasp.

As expected, the visitors who are in the division above took the game to Rangers. For the first five minutes, the match was played in Deighton's half. A dangerous ball down the left wing was passed across the area, and with goalkeeper Mark Tasker trying to get back into position, the Wetherby striker ballooned his shot over from close range.

The visitor's tactic seemed to be to try and loop the ball over Deighton's defence and allow their strikers to run onto them. However, Rangers defence well and more often than not, Taker claimed them without trouble.

Deighton's first sniff of goal came from a free-kick. As Danny Grannon rose to head, he was beaten to the ball by the Wetherby keeper who punched clear.

Coming down the left-wing, Jonathan Wilson, Mike Denham and Grannon all combined to allow Dan Brearton to shoot. Despite hitting the ball well, Wetherby's keeper saved low to his left.

Match Photo — Rich Hope watches the ball against Wetherby Veterans.

Athletic opened the scoring in the 10th minute when they swung the ball from the right-wing to the back post, where a Wetherby player slid in and diverted the ball past Tasker.

Rangers then started to take the game to Wetherby, but it was the final third in which they came unstuck. Despite some superb build-up play, they couldn't carve out clear cut chances, and Wetherby's defence was quick to close the ball down.

Another free-kick by Brearton picked out Grannon, but his header went just wide of the post.

The match temporarily stopped after an unnecessary foul on Mark Suttle left the midfielder writhing in agony on the ground. Despite treatment, he was unable to continue and had to leave the pitch in some discomfort.

With the end of the first-half looming fast, Rangers pressed for the equaliser, and a shot from Paul Clothier went wide before Ryan McHale, and Grannon had shots blocked.

Half-Time: Rangers Veterans 0 v 1 Wetherby Athletic Veterans

Graham Cowgill had the first chance of the second half when the Wetherby keeper misjudged a looping ball and dropped his catch, but Cowgill was unable to connect cleanly, and the ball rolled the wrong way.

Rangers threatened again when Clothier picked out Grannon, and the ex-Colwyn Bay player twisted and shot just over the bar.

Following a failed Wetherby attack, a long goal-kick released Grannon. Stretching to shoot, he was off-balance, and this allowed the Wetherby keeper to block the ball. Rebounding into the path of Wilson, he tried to lob the custodian but couldn't get enough height on the ball to trouble him.

It took a superbly struck lob from outside the area by Wilson to level the scores in the 53rd minute. A quick piece of thinking by Rob Stabler saw a 50-yard pass pick out Wilson, who controlled the ball well, spin and unleash a dipping half-volley that rocketed into the net.

Two minutes later, and Rangers were celebrating again. This time Richard Hope and Brearton combined on the left wing to feed Clothier, who delivered a pin-point cross to the back post, and Cowgill rifled it back across the keeper and into the net.

Rangers were in the ascendancy, and they nearly made it three when Grannon passed to Wilson on the right of the area. Crossing low through the six-yard box, Clothier was inches away from being able to convert.

Wetherby reminded Deighton that they were in the game with a strong run that took the player past two defenders. Thankfully, Tasker had seen the danger and produced a diving save at his feet.

With seven minutes of the game remaining, the scores were level after play switched from the right-wing into the middle. Sidestepping a few challenges, the Wetherby player got to the ball first and steered the ball past Tasker.

Despite both teams trying to find the winner, the game got sucked back into a midfield battle as neither side wanted to make a mistake, and as the final whistle sounded, both teams had to be satisfied with a point each.

Full-Time: Rangers Veterans 2 v 2 Wetherby Athletic Veterans

Verdict: Twice our Veterans have just failed to record a deserved win. Last week against Thirsk, they should have had three points, and today as well. Football can be cruel sometimes, but we can take heart in two outstanding performances against teams from higher divisions. It's only a matter of time before draws become wins.

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