Report: Rangers (ST) 1 v 2 Otley Town Reserves

KDRAFC Media
Sep 12, 2021
3 min read

Updated: Sep 18, 2021

In what ended as an ill-tempered affair, Otley Town Reserves came from behind to take all three points to leave Deighton’s Second Team still searching for that elusive first win of the season.

With multiple squad members absent, Kris Macdonald and John-Paul Williams gave debuts to Matt and Brandon Trower and named Ed Knapper on the bench alongside Jack Abbott and Jason Wright.

Deighton pressed first, but Brandon Trower’s header from a Dan Flynn corner flew over the crossbar into the trees at the clubhouse end.

A free kick just outside Otley’s area afforded another chance for Rangers. Despite hitting it powerfully, Liam Dean’s shot didn’t beat the wall.

Moving the ball into the path of Kieran Arnett, the youngster picked out Phil Turner on the right-wing, whose cross back into the six-yard box was just claimed by the keeper.

Rangers were trying hard to open the scoring, and a cross from Arnett picked out Brandon Trower, but despite having two attempts, neither ended in a goal.

Otley reminded Deighton they were still present when they won a series of set pieces that needed Rich Jenner and Flynn to intervene to clear the danger.

Headers from both Brandon Trower and Arnett needed the Otley keeper to save before Mitch Moore in Deighton’s goal had to tip a curling shot onto the crossbar and over.

A shift in attacking emphasis saw Rangers forced back as Otkey became the more dominant side. However, like the home side were experiencing, the final ball was often the issue, and good positions were wasted with poor passing and finishing.

Matt Trower and Jack Loudoun tried to get Deighton going again, but despite some decent passing, the team couldn’t find a rhythm, and the moves broke down.

Half-Time: Kirk Deighton Rangers 0 v 0 Otley Town Reserves

The second half started the same way as the first one ended with lots of huffing and puffing from both sides, but very little to get excited about in or around the two areas.

Despite Deighton being the more adventurous of the two teams, Otley nearly took the lead in the 57th minute when a nice body feint took the striker past a Rangers defender, but he pulled his shot across Moore’s goal and wide.

The crossbar came to Otley’s rescue in the 59th minute when Arnett’s lofted shot, following a scuffle in the area, beat the keeper, but not the frame of the goal. Straight after, Rangers attacked again, but Brandon Trower’s shot was deflected wide on route to goal.

Turner was giving Otley’s defence moments of trouble, and it was his pass that set up Loudoun to shoot just wide from outside the area.

A decent break through the centre of the pitch saw Jenner have to produce an excellently timed block tackle to dispossess the Otley striker as he shaped to shoot.

Deighton took the lead in the 72nd minute through a neat turn and finish from a tight angle by Wright, who had replaced Brandon Trower.

The lead only lasted six minutes, and a strong run down the right flank saw the Otley player cut into the area and shoot past Moore.

With the game becoming riddled by fouls from both sides, Wright hit a free-kick that the keeper spilt but recovered in time to pounce on the ball before Arnett could tap it home.

Another needless foul gave Arnett a chance to curl a free-kick into Dean’s path, but he applied a little too much power, and the keeper was able to collect.

The visitors were celebrating what would turn out to be the winning goal in the 87th minute when Moore could only divert a low shot into the path of an Otley forward, and he had the simple task of slotting the ball home.

Full-Time: Kirk Deighton Rangers 1 v 2 Otley Town Reserves

Special thanks to Mark Tasker who stepped in at the last minute to be the referee for this game. It was very much appreciated.

Squad.