Report: Rangers 0 v 4 Horbury Town

KDRAFC Media
Jan 17, 2022
3 min read

Clinical finishing and brave defending were the key factors that saw Horbury Town beat Rangers 4-0. However, the former league leaders acknowledged that they were pushed hard for the vast majority of the game.

Town launched their first attack from the kick-off but found themselves hauled back for offside. Soon after, a run down the left wing saw the shot bounce off a Deighton player for a corner. From the set-piece, goalkeeper Jonty Smith punched the ball clear but collided with a Horbury player, resulting in several minutes of treatment.

Rangers started to push Horbury back and link up play between a Mike McCartney, Conor Buckley and Jake Little nearly opened the visitor's defence, but the keeper snuffed out the danger.

Two chances fell to Roman Neal, but despite being in good positions, he couldn't pivot quickly enough to shoot or divert Buckley's cross goalwards.

A long pass over Deighton's defence nearly allowed Horbury to break, but Buckley put in a last-ditch tackle and won the ball.

Horbury were putting some lovely attacking moves together, and a weighted pass saw the striker round Smith but shoot wide. Arguing with the referee that a foul had occurred in the build-up, they were incensed when the official waved away their claims.

Rangers came down the middle of the pitch with their next attack, and a pinpoint pass by Luke Dubery was headed just wide by Ash Tatler.

A loose pass in Deighton's half was crossed back into the area where it was poked goalwards past Smith. However, the custodian reacted quickly to sprint back and push the ball around the post before it crept in.

Horbury took the lead in the 31st minute after Smith had pulled off a good save to divert the original shot away from goal. However, the ball fell to the player at the back post who had escaped the attention of Deighton's defenders, and he had the simple task of scoring from close range.

Rangers tried to catch Horbury with long balls to release either Tatler, Neal or the industrious Little, but they were overhit and allowed the keeper to claim without trouble.

A surging run by Little was unceremoniously ended just outside the Horbury area, but Dubery couldn't pick out a blue shirt from the free-kick, and Horbury watched it out of play.

Rangers ended the half with a couple of attacks, but despite twisting his way past several defenders, Little couldn't shoot. Passing to Neal instead, his shot was blocked on the six-yard line.

Half-Time: Kirk Deighton Rangers 0 v 1 Horbury Town

Deighton attacked first through Josh Barden, who passed to Mike McCartney. Picking out Tatler with a lovely ball, the striker swivelled and hit a dipping half-volley straight at the keeper.

Horbury came down the pitch, and it needed Buckley to produce a low block at the back post to prevent them from doubling their lead.

The action alternated between penalty areas. No sooner had Neal seen his shot blocked, Horbury swept into Deighton's box, and their shot bounced off the foot of the post with Smith beaten.

Little and Buckley combined well, but Buckley's cross was collected at the second attempt by the keeper, with Neal in close attendance.

Horbury forced Smith into making a diving save to his left as they searched for a second goal. However, Rangers nearly scored when a neat one-two between Neal and Harvey Ribbons allowed the latter to hit a powerful shot that a defender blocked.

Clever footwork by Barden saw him create space to chip a defender and find Tatler. However, and not for the first time, brave defending stopped any shooting opportunity.

Horbury scored their second after 61 minutes when they worked the ball into Deighton's area, and a good turn and shot beat Smith at his near post.

Two minutes later, the visitors had sewn up the game as they celebrated their third goal. A flowing move down the right-wing ended with a Horbury player shooting past Smith after bursting through the defence.

Sensing that there were more goals to be had, Horbury's winger won a foot race with Mason Sheridan-Hawley, but the defender did enough to put him off, and he overhit his cross.

Horbury were fuming with the officials after they thought they had scored when their player headed a corner past Smith, only to see it cleared by Buckley from behind the line. However, the referee and linesman both adjudged that the whole of the ball hadn't crossed the goal line.

Rangers were determined to pull a goal back, and good play saw Little break free of his marker. Drilling his shot across the goal, Tatler couldn't apply the finishing touch.

A well-worked move that saw Horbury pass across Deighton's area brought their final goal in the 87th minute as a first-time finish across Smith nestled into the corner of the net.

Full-Time: Kirk Deighton Rangers 0 v 4 Horbury Town