Report: Rangers (ST) 0 v 4 Horbury Town Reserves

KDRAFC Media
Oct 23, 2021
3 min read

If Rangers had played with their shooting boots on, then this could have been a very different game, but as it was, the difference between the two teams was simple - Horbury Town took their chances, Rangers did not!

Any neutral watching during the first half would have had difficulty working out which team were league leaders and which were at the wrong end of the table. Rangers stormed out of the gates, and Ryan McHale crashed his header against Horbury's crossbar in the opening minutes. Soon later, the visitor's scrambled a close-range shot off their goal line, and Phil Turner's shot trickled just wide of the post.

Horbury soon got into the flow of the game and started passing the ball around well. A quick break saw Rich Jenner block two shots in quick succession before the visitors forced four corners in a row, which culminated in the opening goal in the 15th minute as a series of ricochets fell to the striker, and he flicked the ball past Kieran Arnett's reach and into the net.

Rangers came back down the pitch, and a good cross from McHale found Brandon Trower, who got his header on target, but it lacked the power to beat the keeper.

It was Deighton creating the better chances, but finishing was proving the issue. Turner went close twice, and Dawson also had an opening, but a covering defender managed to get in between him and the ball.

Horbury kept the ball well when attacking, but they struggled to find an opening with several shots ending in either the side netting or behind Arnett's goal.

Both teams were playing their part in an entertaining game, and Rangers nearly equalised when Turner broke free and tried to find Liam Dean, but he was closed down quickly before he could shoot. Up in Deighton's half, a surging run by Horbury's left winger saw him shoot into the side netting, as pressure by Connor Weal forced him wide.

Rangers thought they had the equaliser when Dean fed the ball into Weal's path. Weal fired in a low cross that clipped off a defender and spun into Trower's path. Trying to control the loose ball, the striker was left frustrated as it got away from him and went out.

With five minutes remaining of the half, Dean, who had picked up a knee injury after a collision, was forced to retire and was replaced by John Ahern, making his first appearance this season.

Half-Time: Kirk Deighton Rangers (ST) 0 v 1 Horbury Town Reserves

The second half was only four minutes old when Horbury doubled their advantage. A foul on the left wing gave the visitors a free-kick which they whipped into the area, and despite two defenders jumping with the forwards, the Horbury forward steered his header past Arnett's dive.

A long goal kick by Arnett found Weal, who was fouled, winning Rangers a free-kick just outside Horbury's area. Seeing his original shot blocked by the wall, he played the ball over the top of the defence, but Luke Trower couldn't reach it before the keeper.

The match was over as a contest in the 56th minute when Horbury scored their third. A lovely pass down the left saw a cross reach an unmarked player at the back post, and he volleyed home.

Rangers, to their credit, kept on attacking, but it was the final ball that was the issue with crosses too close to their keeper, who was commanding his area well, although Graham Cowgill came close as he spun and connected with McHale's free-kick, but it went over. Minutes later, and a good header by Luke Trower also ended going over the crossbar.

To sum up Deighton's luck, Ahern picked up a back injury and the substitute was subbed in the 70th minute for Matt Trower.

Horbury always looked dangerous on the attack, and a clever reverse pass ended in a foot race between Arnett and the attacker, which the custodian won, only to be fouled, which started a melee and ended with the attacker receiving a yellow card.

Rangers had one final good chance when a tackle on the edge of the area robbed the Horbury defender. Picking out Brandon Trower, he couldn't steer the ball goalwards, and the chance was gone.

Having not learnt their lesson about being tight at the back, Deighton faced another flowing move by the visitors, which ended in a one on one, and a powerful strike flew past Arnett in the 89th minute.

Full-Time: Kirk Deighton Rangers (ST) 0 v 4 Horbury Town FC Reserves

Squad.

Starting 11	Goals	Sub time	Other
Arnett
Weal		74th min	MOM
Cowgill
Jenner
Flynn
Trower.L
Dawson		57th min
McHale
Dean		40th min
Turner		63rd min
Trower.B
Substitutes
Ahern		40th min / 70th min
Maxwell		57th min
Trower.M		70th min
Briggs		63rd min
Williams		74th min