Report: Hunslet Club Res 2 v 2 Rangers (ST)

KDRAFC Media
Sep 26, 2021
3 min read

Rangers Second Team came into this match looking for their first win in five games, and although they fell agonisingly short of this, they produced another battling display to gain a justified point.

Kris Macdonald named two new 16-year-olds in Matthew Lurcock and Sam Briggs on the bench. Taylor Maxwell started on the right, and experienced defender Rich Strike lined up with Matt Trower in the heart of the defence. There was a surprise inclusion as well as Will Hodson returned to play at right-back.

Rangers produced a super start and were 1-0 up in 57 seconds when Dan Flynn's corner evaded several players to end up at the back post where Liam Dean managed to divert the ball home off a covering defender on the line.

Hunslet started to push back, but Maxwell won a free kick after a good run through the middle was ended illegally. Chris Plews passed into the area, but the Hunslet keeper claimed the ball, with Dean closing him down.

The home side produced some neat football to attack down the right. As he ran into the area, he shot low, but Kieran Arnett collected the shot.

The green shirts were pinning Rangers back in their half. However, they couldn't fashion any worthwhile chances with shots going wide or some superb defending to frustrate them.

In a rare foray into Hunslet's area, a throw-in from Flynn found Plews, and after allowing it to bounce, he struck a shot that cleared the crossbar.

Hunslet got their equaliser in the 38th minute when a game of head tennis fell to their unmarked player at the back post, and he steered his header past Arnett despite the keeper getting his hand to it.

The goal sparked a bit of game with Hunslet keeper cutting out a pass by Matt Trower to Maxwell, and then Deighton's defence heading clear a dangerous free-kick.

Half Time: Hunslet Club Reserves 1 v 1 Kirk Deighton Rangers

A change at half-time saw Mike Tasker replace Plews in the centre of midfield.

A long ball by Hunslet down the middle of the pitch needed Arnett to collect the pass from the striker's feet, and from his clearance, A flick by Tasker allowed Maxwell to chase the ball, but Hunslet's custodian won the foot race.

As with the first half, Hunslet pinned Rangers back, and Arnett had to be at full stretch to save a long shot.

Some good play down the right-wing won Hunslet a corner, but a combination of Arnett and Hodson made sure that they didn't create a goal.

An injury to Maxwell saw him replaced by Matthew Lurcock in the 63rd minute, and he nearly gave Rangers the leads when he outpaced the defender and lifted the ball over the advancing keeper and into the side netting.

Arnett produced a reflex save to deny Hunslet after they had broken through Deighton's defence, and minutes later, he was at full stretch to both save and hold onto a curling free-kick.

A superb tackle by Will Hodson put Rangers moving, and Flynn's cross nearly reached Lurcock. Brandon Trower put in a superb cross that Lurcock connected with, but his shot lacked power, and the keeper scooped it up. Minutes later, Trower had a shot of his own, but he curled it over the crossbar.

Macdonald made his last two substitutions in the final ten minutes when Mitch Moore replaced Dean, and Sam Briggs made his debut when he came on for Brandon Trower.

Hunslet were enraged after the referee gave Deighton a free-kick for handball after a collision between Moore and a defender ended with the latter following onto the ball. Stepping up, Flynn curled it over the wall and into the back of the net.

With Deighton trying to hold onto the lead, Hunslet piled forward again in the final minute, and a shot from outside the area came through a crowd of players and bounced off Arnett's chest. Reacting quickest, the striker got to the rebound and drilled the ball wide of Arnett and into the net.

Full-Time: Hunslet Club Reserves 2 v 2 Kirk Deighton Rangers

Squad.

Starting 11	Goal	Sub	Other
Arnett
Hodson
Trower.M
Strike
Flynn	86 min		Captain
Loudoun
Plews		46th min
Dawson
Maxwell		63rd min
Dean	1 min	82nd min
Trower.B		85th min
Substitutes
Tasker		46th min
Lurcock		63rd min
Moore		82nd min
Briggs		85th min