Report: Gomersal & Cleckheaton 6 v 0 Rangers

KDRAFC Media
Aug 14, 2022
3 min read

Kris Macdonald's reign as First-Team Manager got off to the worst possible start as a disjoined and lacklustre Rangers fell to a 6-0 opening day defeat against Gomersal & Cleckheaton at East Bierley Recreation Ground.

Three goals in either first half did the damage, and hopefully, the old saying of 'they can't play any worse' applies here!

Debuts were given to Elliot Anderson, Ethan McPherson, Julian Williams and Andrew Slinger as a new-look Deighton side kicked off under a blazing sun in their news kits.

From the start, it was obvious that this would never be recorded as a classic as both teams struggled to get their passing game going, although Gomersal quickly improved and started to find their rhythm.

The hosts had the first shot, but as the striker let fly from outside the box, Rangers's keeper, Kieran Arnett, watched it pass over his crossbar and into the safety netting behind his goal.

The opening goal came in the 8th minute when a corner was headed down by an unmarked player at the back post to his unmarked colleague in the middle, who had time to control the ball, turn, pick his spot and shoot past Arnett.

With 20 minutes on the clock, Rangers were slowly starting to click, and Slinger was heavily involved in the best of the chances when he burst into the area, only for his shot to crash into the side netting. Minutes later, Slinger provided a great ball to Luke Dubery, whose cross was plucked out of the air by the Gomersal custodian.

A mistake in defence allowed the hosts in, but the shot was straight at Arnett, who did well to hold onto it with two strikers closing him down.

From a series of throw-ins, both Slinger and Luke Trower combined to set up Anderson, whose shot needed the keeper to palm it upwards before catching it at the second attempt.

It was two to Gomersall after 36 minutes when loose passing around their area allowed a red shirt to hijack the ball. Going round three players, including Arnett, he shot into the net past the defender on the line.

An unnecessary foul committed on the edge of the area saw Gomersall stretch their lead to three when the taker curled it past the wall and Arnett into the far corner.

Half-Time: Gomersal & Cleckheaton 3 v 0 Kirk Deighton Rangers

The second half started with the hosts on the attack, and another long ball over the top saw the winger pick out his unmarked striker at the back post, but the swing was wide, and the shot went wide.

A change of direction saw Rangers attack, and James Harrison dribbled past his marker, but his shot wasn't on target.

If there were any doubts about the points being in the bag for Gomersall, they were dispelled in the 49th minute when the referee gave a penalty for either the stationary Arnett 'cutting off' the striker, or the last defender pulling the striker back as he was about to shoot (who knows!) Anyway, what wasn't in doubt was the outcome as Arnett went right, the ball went down the middle, and the cheer went up from the Gomersal contingent.

Rangers had another shot on target as James Flynn, who had replaced Harrison, got his free-kick past the wall, but a superb save to his left by the keeper pushed it to safety.

With the defence so far up the pitch that management had uber's on standby to bring them back, another ball over the top lead to the fifth goal as it was crossed into the area and steered home past the exposed Arnett.

An attack down the right hand side by Harrison saw his cross turned away for a corner, but nothing came for from the set piece except another break for Gomersal, but this time Dan Flynn, who had replaced Williams, headed the danger clear.

The final goal came in with minutes remaining when another ball over the top caught out the Rangers defence, and the striker saw his original shot well saved by Arnett. However, the ball fell back to the same player, and he lifted it above the grounded keeper and into the net.

With the whistle in the referees mouth, Deighton produced their best attack when Connor Weal was set free, but brave goalkeeping at his feet denied him a chance to shoot.

Full-Time: Gomersal & Cleckheaton 6 v 0 Kirk Deighton Rangers