Report: Rangers 0 v 2 Knaresborough T Res

KDRAFC Media
Apr 28, 2022
3 min read

Rangers will have to wait another season to hold the Whitworth Cup aloft as Knaresborough Town Reserves scored two goals without reply to be crowned winners at Station View.

Both sides made several changes from the teams that took to the Barr Field pitch to contest the West Yorkshire League Cup Quarter Final, and under the bright evening sun, it was Deighton who attacked first when Joe Turley burst through Knaresborough's defence and won a corner. However, Town's tall defence cleared the danger.

Knaresborough's first attack in the third minute saw Jonty Smith adjudged to have fouled their striker as he tried to run past him. Taking a while to consider, the referee eventually raised his hand and pointed to the spot. Despite going the right way, Smith was beaten, and the red shirts celebrated the opening goal.

Winning a series of throw-ins, Deighton worked their way down the pitch until Mason Sheridan-Hawley used his long throw to pick out Mike McCartney in the area, but his header flashed over Knaresborough's crossbar.

One thing that was evident was this match wouldn't be an advert for the beautiful game as the ball spent large periods in the air, and both teams struggled to get any fluidity in their passing game. Where Deighton tried to utilise the flanks, Knaresborough showed their power down the middle of the pitch, but neither team could fashion a chance.

Both teams had free-kicks in dangerous positions, but the outcome ended the same as the cross was too close to the keepers, who claimed without issue.

The match temporarily stopped after Roman Neal and Conor Buckley collided. After several minutes of treatment, they were both able to continue.

A long shot by McCartney forced Knaresborough's keeper Josh Sharkey into a superb diving save to push the ball wide. From the corner, Sheridan-Hawley's acrobatic effort went just wide.

With both sides pushing, the defences were kept busy, and it needed another superb diving save from Sharkey to divert Turley's shot around the post.

Half-Time: Kirk Deighton Rangers 2 v 1 Knaresborough Town Reserves

The second half started with Deighton trying to catch Knaresborough out through the middle of the pitch, but Town's defence wasn't yielding and forced Turley to shoot from outside the area straight at Sharkey.

A quick counter and good run down Deighton's right saw Knaresborough cut in off the wing and fire a shot which just cleared Smith's crossbar.

The long throws of Sheridan-Hawley were causing trouble in the Knaresborough area, and despite several episodes of pinball that nearly led to Deighton shots, Town were always able to get bodies in the way and clear the danger.

Deighton were shading the position, but despite multiple forays into Knaresborough's half, chances were few, with Turley's long shot going just wide.

Following a spell where Knaresborough buzzed outside Deighton's area, Rangers were finally able to break again, but the blue shirts blocked their own shot before Turley lifted the ball into Knaresborough's area, but it had too much power on it, and Wilks couldn't chase it down.

Knaresborough came down the right and forced Deighton into defending, but eventually, after soaking up some sustained pressure, Rangers cleared the ball.

Town were now the dominant of the two teams, and a good cross pitch pass saw Knaresborough's winger manage to get to the byline, but his cross floated out of play before reaching Smith's goal.

Rangers broke on the counter, and a lovely ball into Wilks saw the striker lift the ball over Sharkey and the goal, and it crashed into the barrier that lined the pitch.

Winning a free-kick after Little was fouled, Josh Barden crossed into Knaresborough's area, and a loud shout for handball came from the Deighton players, but the referee wasn't moved and play continued.

Knaresborough won their own free-kick just outside Deighton's area, but despite beating the wall, they couldn't get the shot on target, and it drifted wide of the goal.

With the match in the last ten minutes, Rangers were pushing hard for the equaliser, and Wilks's shot struck Sharkey before Little's follow up was stopped near the line by a defender's leg.

Pushing back down the pitch, Knaresborough forced Rangers into performing their own goal-line clearance as Ribbons managed to divert a shot clear.

In the 89th minute, Knaresborough placed their second hand on the cup when they headed home from a corner to spark raucous celebrations from their fans.

Full-Time: Kirk Deighton Rangers 0 v 2 Knaresborough Town Reserves

Congratulations to Knaresborough Town Reserves on their win.