Report: Rawdon Old Boys 1 v 2 Rangers

KDRAFC Media
Aug 9, 2020
4 min read

Rawdon struck first in the 9th minute with a shot from distance by Paul Butler
Rangers equalise close to half-time from Craig Hall
Deighton take the lead when Jake Little shoots under the keeper from a narrow angle.

Despite being billed as a friendly, the action on Hanson Field almost reached the same high temperature as the sun beating down on it!

Lining up with almost the same team that had beaten Garforth LG midweek, Rangers fielded new keeper Ben Sharp and brought Josh Buckley into the starting XI. Jack Holliday, Joe Barden and Josh Bhandal all made their first appearance on the bench.

The match had barely started when an injury to Jon Richards occurred. Following lengthy treatment, Richards couldn’t continue, and he left the pitch nursing his shoulder & neck.

With football back as the main focus, the hosts powered down the left-wing and delivered a cross which Rangers defended. In trying to clear the ball, a foul was committed allowing Rawdon the chance to strike towards goal, but Rob Holliday blocked the free-kick, and despite pleas for handball, Rangers moved out of defence.

Deighton went on the offensive, and a spell of pinball occurred in the old Boys area before Roman Neal shot wide.

Rawdon scored in the 10th minute through Paul Butler, who capitalised on Rangers failure to clear the ball, and it fell to the striker who struck a powerful volley from outside the area.

Stepping up the pressure, Rangers forced Rawdon back, and it was Ali Thompson who became chief tormentor with several crosses that needed the home defence to deal with.

Match Photo — Rob Holliday in action against Rawdon Old Boys

With the game flowing between both areas, it took a good tackle from Buckley to deny Lewis Nightingale from getting his shot away. Minutes later, Rawdon's keeper produced a superb save to push Holliday’s fierce drive to safety.

Working hard for the equaliser, it looked like Charlie Yates would claim it following some good play by Bhandal and Neal. However, the striker connected too well with the ball at the near post, and the keeper claimed it.

Rawdon reminded Deighton that they were present when Nightingale went on another superb run that needed three Rangers players to dispossess him. Soon afterwards, Wilks produced a fine block to stop Old Boys from shooting.

With Joe Barden on the pitch, Rangers found some extra bite in their play and the tide turned back in their favour. A free-kick from Wilks, following a foul on Barden, just outside the area went narrowly over.

The equaliser arrived in the 44th minute, and Barden was in the thick of it again playing the ball to Hall. Striking it with the outside of his foot, he looped the ball into the top corner.

The first-half finished with Neal beating the keeper with a header at the back post, but the metalwork came to Rawdon’s rescue!

Half-Time: Rawdon Old Boys 1 v 1 Kirk Deighton Rangers

Rangers commenced the second period like they finished the first, with both Thompson and Neal providing quality crosses that Rawdon needed to defend.

Lightning struck twice for Deighton as the match was stopped to allow treatment following a clash of heads between Thompson and Rawdon’s central defender. With Thompson not able to continue, he was helped off the pitch by several teammates.

It took another superb save by the keeper to deny Holliday after a mazy run and curling shot was tipped onto the bar by a flying custodian at full stretch.

Following a spot of wrestling with Joe Barden that earned yellow cards for two Rawdon players from referee Joe Moss, Bhandal placed his free-kick wide of the post.

Rangers took the lead after 66 minutes, and Barden was again the provider, this time picking out Jake Little. Ignoring the offside claims, Little kept his composure to slot the ball through the legs of the onrushing keeper.

Deighton was in the ascendancy, and Jack Holliday and Yates combined well, but Holliday passed just behind the striker who was unable to alter his feet in time to shoot.

It was Jack Holliday who had the next chance after Barden had out jumped his man to head across the goal, pivoting to hit the ball, he sent it over the crossbar.

A dangerous free-kick to Rawdon, just outside the area, was blocked by the wall. Collecting the loose ball, the hosts tried to work it into the area, but Deighton’s defence refused to yield and cleared the danger.

Not getting far with trying to play through Deighton’s back line, Rawdon resorted to long balls over the top, but Sharp was quickly onto them.

Another lung-bursting run by Conor Buckley saw him deliver a cross that found Neal. Striking the ball well, his shot went just wide of the back post.

Full-Time: Rawdon Old Boys 1 v 2 Kirk Deighton Rangers

In review, a good win against a side who will be challenging come the end of the season. Rangers produced some superb build-up play throughout the match that pleased the management and the constantly high work rate in the hot conditions showed how the fitness work has also paid off.

Match report KDRAFC Media

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