Report: Rangers (ST) 5 v 7 Shelley FC Reserves

KDRAFC Media
Sep 20, 2022
4 min read

It rained goals at Barr Field as the ball found the back of the net thirteen times (although only twelve would count) as Rangers fought back from 3-0 down to 3-3, only to lose 7-5 in the end!

With three last-minute signings, Manager John-Paul Williams managed to bolster his squad. However, with several key players injured or absent, it would be a battle against a determined Shelley FC Reserves.

Following an impeccably observed minute's silence, Shelley started the game and immediately went on the attack. Despite probing both sides of Deighton's defence, they couldn't get past either Dan Flynn or Danny Wort.

A long goal kick by Kieran Arnett nearly freed striker Jack Hancock, but a defender just managed to poke the ball away from him as he looked to burst into the area.

Arnett was called into action when a headed pass sped goalwards, but the custodian dived to his left and diverted the ball wide.

Hancock's pace was already causing trouble for Shelley, but despite trying, he couldn't get into a position to have a shot.

Shelley's opening goal arrived in the 16th minute when a punch by Arnett fell to a red shirt, and he headed it back over the keeper and a defender into the net.

Rangers tried to respond, and a snapshot from James Flynn forced Shelley's goalkeeper into his first save of the afternoon.

The visitors celebrated again in the 25th minute when they doubled their lead. Failure to win either the first or second ball in midfield saw a looping pass set Shelley's striker and Arnett off in a race to see who would get their first. Unfortunately for Deighton, it was the striker who did enough to nudge it past Arnett, and despite a last-ditch tackle by Ben Barraclough, he managed to find the corner of the net.

Again Deighton looked for a quick response. This time Max Bladen was the man who tried his luck, only to see the Shelley keeper save his shot.

Barraclough thought he had reduced the arrears when he bundled James Flynn's free-kick home, but the referee disallowed the goal as he had adjudged the defender to have been offside.

Arnett was in action again, this time diving bravely at the feet of the striker who had latched onto a pass into Deighton's area.

Rangers were incensed by Shelley's third goal in the 39th minute when it looked like they should have had a corner following a free-kick. However, the referee gave a goal-kick, which eventually found a forward whose shot beat Arnett, leading to mass protests that the goalscorer had been offside when he received the ball. Again the referee waved away the protests, much to the disgust of the home bench.

This time Rangers did get a response when James Flynn laid the ball back to Jack Abbott, and his looping shot from the flank deceived the keeper and dropped into his net in the 43rd minute.

Half-Time: Kirk Deighton Rangers 1 v 3 Shelley FC

The second half started with Rangers pushing Shelley back. Chances fell to James Flynn and Hancock, but they couldn't make them count.

In the 54th minute, Hancock rose highest to head James Flynn's cross into an empty net.

Deighton thought they had scored the equaliser when the impressive Bladen beat the keeper with a looping shot from inside the area, but it hit the top of the crossbar and bounced over.

Rangers were in control now, and Bladen and Hancock set up Jason wright, but his shot on the turn was too close to Shelley's keeper, who smothered his effort.

It was all square in the 64th minute as Hancock controlled a pass outside the area, beat a defender with his pace, rounded the goalkeeper and scored.

Shelley reminded Deighton that they also wanted the points, and it took a good block tackle from substitute Jordan Walsh to stop a shot from reaching the goal. Minutes later, Arnett and Phil Turner combined to clear a dangerous cross.

When your luck's out, you know it, and despite having more of the game, Rangers fell to a freak goal to give Shelley the lead again in the 67th minute. Looking like he had the cross covered, the ball hit a raised piece of grass and changed direction smacking Arnett in the side before ricocheting into Barraclough and falling at the surprised striker's feet, giving him the easiest of goals from two yards out!

Two minutes later and it was 5-3 to the visitors. Deighton's old frailty of failing to clear came back again, and this time Shelley made them pay with a belting shot that was still rising when it hit the back of the net.

Rangers regained their composure, and it was James Flynn testing Shelley's resolve, but despite his best efforts, the visitors defended well, and he couldn't get his shot on target.

Shelley's sixth goal arrived in the 75th minute after Deighton allowed the winger to run unopposed into the area. Despite narrowing the angle, Arnett lost out to a good finish.

The goals continued to come, and Deighton pulled another one back in the 84th minute when Dan Flynn released his brother, and his shot across the goalkeeper found the far corner of the net.

Bladen, who was at the heart of everything, passed to Adian Dubery (who had replaced Hancock), and he swept the ball home with a good finish.

With a sliver of hope that Deighton could snatch an unlikely draw from the jaws of defeat, Arnett pulled off another good save low down to deny Shelley. With all the blue shirts up the pitch looking for an equaliser, the inevitable happened, and a counterattack saw Shelley claim the final goal with the last kick of the game.

Full-Time: Kirk Deighton Rangers 5 v 7 Shelley FC