Report: Rangers 3 v 0 Field AFC

KDRAFC Media
Jan 8, 2022
3 min read

In a game that had goals, red cards and penalties, Rangers celebrated a winning start to 2022 as goals from Jakes Little, Roman Neal, and Ashley Tatler sank Field AFC.

Deighton started brightly, with Conor Buckley seeing plenty of the ball. Working his way into a good position, he sent in a dangerous cross that a Field defender headed behind.

The visitors won a free-kick in Deighton's half that they delivered deep into the area. As it was turned back, Luke Dubery intercepted the pass.

Following a Rangers corner, the ball bounced around the Field area before Conor Buckley's shot was blocked en route to the goal.

Rangers survived a scare in the eleventh minute when Field broke down the left-wing. Firing in a low cross towards the back post, Rob Holliday couldn't clear but distracted the Field player behind him enough that he couldn't reach the ball.

Field's keeper showed his pace to beat Tatler to the ball just when it looked like the striker may capitalise on a defender's mistake.

Neal won Rangers a free-kick on the edge of the area that was hit low by Josh Barden, only for the keeper to save well. Neal got to the rebound, but his shot was blocked by the custodian.

Deighton were awarded a penalty in the 23rd minute following a foul on Neal by the Field keeper. Hitting his shot low and down the middle, Tatler watched in horror as the custodian saved it with his legs.

Rangers were piling on the pressure, and Dubery couldn't spin in the penalty area with the ball at his feet. Minutes later, Tatler poked the ball wide of the onrushing keeper but put too much on it, and the gloveman recovered to pull off another good save to push his shot aside.

Field pushed forward, and Mason Sheridan-Hawley had to time his tackle well to dispossess the attacker who had nearly broken free.

Having been caught offside several times before, Rangers finally broke Field's offside trap in the 37th minute, and Little powered into the area before shooting across the keeper and into the back of the net.

Having defended a free-kick, Deighton countered quickly, but Field's keeper reacted to beat Tatler to a loose ball. Moments later, he saved well from Harvey Ribbons and Tatler again.

With the referee looking at his watch, Rangers pushed forward again, but Field defended well, and both Tatler and Neal had shots blocked.

Half-Time: Kirk Deighton Rangers 1 v 0 Field AFC

Field started the second half on the attack, winning a free-kick and a series of corners. However, Rangers were able to defend these without too much trouble.

Jonty Smith freed Tatler with a long goal-kick. Playing a one-two with Conor Buckley, he raced into the area but curled his shot wide of the far post.

The next attack saw Rangers increase their lead in the 50th minute. Little fed Neal, and he took the ball into the area. Turning his marker, he whipped his shot past the keeper and was jumped upon by his teammates as they celebrated his first goal for almost four months.

Deighton were playing well and had taken control of the midfield. Chances fell for both Tatler and Dubery, but Field's defenders were putting their bodies in the way to block.

Tatler finally got the goal he deserved in the 58th minute when he latched onto a long pass and drilled his shot from just inside the area low past the keeper.

Field won a free-kick in a dangerous position just outside Deighton's area, but despite beating the wall, the shot was saved by Smith.

Changing things around, Dan Marshall brought on Liam Dean and Jack Cheetham for Dubery and Little in the 65th minute.

A foul on Tatler saw a slight melee erupt that took several minutes to stop. Following a discussion with his linesman, the referee showed Tatler a yellow card and sent off the defender who had committed the foul.

Following another double substitution which saw James Harrison and Mike McCartney replace Barden and Tatler in the 72nd minute, Field were reduced to nine men when an attacker fouled Neal and was shown his second yellow card of the game.

Ribbons produced another quality run down the right-wing. Swinging in a cross, Field cleared as far as McCartney, but his lofted shot was saved by the keeper.

The last change happened in the 80th minute when Neal left the pitch to be replaced by Kieran Arnett.

A run by McCartney saw him try and slip the ball to Harrison. However, he put too much weight on the pass, and it rolled out of play for a goal-kick.

With the dismissals and substitutions, the game had become disjointed, and despite half attempts for both Dean and Arnett, no further goals occurred.

Full-Time: Kirk Deighton Rangers 3 v 0 Field AFC