Porthleven Rangers 5 - Cury 4

OG Saves Rangers Blushes!



Before I start my ramblings this week I must clear up one point from last week that appears to have got me in trouble with the League committee. I offer my apologies to anyone called Wayne Quinn who was not playing for Hayle last weekend I didn't mean to offend you. Still its nice to know that some Committee members read the reports and judging by the feed back I receive plenty of other people do as well. The light hearted approach we take seems to keep them amused, if not those on the Committee.

Now down to the not so serious stuff. This week Rangers entertained Cury in a local derby match, seeking for revenge after beating them 6 - 0 earlier in the season and having the points deducted for a clerical error.

This week was clearly a famine week for the selectors and with only 13 available players Rangers were forced to make changes in last weeks winning side. The game started poorly for Rangers and it looked to all like a real Div 3 contest, something more akin to the school play ground than a football league. It was no surprise when the first goal came Curys way after some poor Rangers defending and to be fair, although they had been on the back foot Cury did look the more likely to score. After this goal however Rangers seemed to wake up to the fact, that this would be no stroll in the park and started to knuckle down. Within Ten minutes they pulled level after a corner wasn't cleared and a quick toe poke from Dave Tax dodger Pollard found the net.

With a semblance of control now applied to the came Rangers entered into a period of dominance and when Tom Layzell skipped by his brother and tried to cross into the box a Cury defender was seen to do a star jump and blocked the ball with his arm. To no ones surprise other than the Cury skipper and the defender the whistle blew for a penalty. Up stepped young Iceman Jonny Leach who with the aid of his very fancy sweat top, sorry personalised sweat top coolly slotted home. This was soon followed by a third when the young man now positively chilled beat the keeper on a one on one chance that never looked in doubt. He, may be cool but the teams top scorer Nicholas Hichens is starting to sweat the golden Boot race is back on.

As the half went on Rangers were forced into more changes when Brum Willets was forced to retire after pulling a hamstring. The poor things aren't designed to carry that amount of weight, who knows what could happen after the Turkey season is through. With the big Tax dodger enlisted into the defence the whistle blew for half time with Rangers 3-1 to the good.

The second half was barely 5 minutes old when Rangers scored their fourth, again the result of a corner and this time however it was Tom pay your subs Layzell who benefited from some poor defending and shot home.

With Rangers now 4 - 1 up the game should have been dead and buried but there followed a mad ten minutes that saw Cury pull level. First a poor tackle on the edge of the box saw a free kick spooned by the Rangers Keeper and slotted home. This was then followed by a spilled ball after a poor shot and a third Cury goal. Life's tough as a keeper as soon as you start thinking and stop reacting your in trouble. The final nail came when a well struck clearance hit a Cury player full on and broke into his path and he slotted home. From 4-1 to 4-4 in ten minutes madness, Rangers players deflated and Cury players elated.

Rangers after raising themselves did now start to press Cury and with several good chances to score they started to dominate again. The Cury keeper was however living a charmed and brave life and was proving difficult to beat. After making several brave stops, seeing the ball cleared of the line no less than three times the cross bar struck as well, surely it was a matter of time, for a Rangers fifth.

The final twist in this game came from yet another corner which was well delivered into the box and a solid header from Layzell found the back of the net with the keeper stranded. The only problem being that this time it was James Layzell from Cury and his own net. At this stage Rangers were more than glad to except this early Christmas Present and at 5-4 up would not make the same mistakes as earlier. As the clock ticked down Rangers now had control of the game and never really looked likely to concede a fifth.

When the final whistle did blow it was a relief for Rangers and a gut wrench for Cury. This was a fair and honest contest from whistle to whistle it may have been school boy at times but it did entertain. Cury may feel robbed of a point but Rangers know that feeling ho so well having been their all last season. Unlucky boys and well played.

Next week Rangers entertain Ruan Minor who look like they intend to be in the running come the end of this season. Lets hope the conditions are good and we see a good game of football.

Match Report By Cozy Powell

Hayle 2 - Porthleven Rangers 4

Picture Details: Ryan Willets keeping the defence under control.

This week Rangers travelled to Hayle looking for a much needed league victory and came away with the spoils after one of the a seasons best displays.

This was always going to be a tough encounter with a strong end to end wind blowing across a very exposed field. To be fair to the grounds man it was not a bad surface to play on and with so many other games off this weekend it was a relief to even play.

With an almost full squad to choose from this week Rangers were able to field arguably their one of their strongest sides. Having lost the toss they had the wind at their backs in the first half and after a slow first ten minutes got to grips with the conditions and some of Hayle's forthright tackling. As the first half went on it was Rangers who always looked most likely to score. It wasn't however until the last ten minutes of the half that they made the most of their dominance when after some good inter play in midfield by the old mother Si Hubbard and Dave Banned Brand, who found young Johnny two scoops Leach who went on and iced the keeper and for the first of his two.

Then with time starting to tick by and the management beginning to sweat, thinking this could be a two goal wind. Up step the young Ice Leach to calm the nerves when he scored again after the keeper spilled the ball having followed in like all good strikers should do.

There was still time on the clock however for the young cornet to have a third goal turned down after a tussle with the keeper saw him put the ball in. The referee appeared to give the goal but the linesman flag was up for a hand ball and the Ref duly awarded the freekick. This was pretty much the last of the first half action.

The half time team talk was all about playing together and talking to each other and being one team. This brought some wise words from the skipper to the table and after an issuing of dummies and toys all round. The team took to the field with no changes.

The second half whistle was still ringing in the players ears when some good work from the skipper Nicholas Hitchens and his wing man Ice Leach who laid a ball to Tom not in the pink Layzell who calmly smashed the ball in by the keepers near post. As the ball nestled into the back of the net the linesman finally arrived and up went his flag for offside. This time however the Referee would have none of it and the goal was awarded.

Hayle then pulled themselves back into the game when their midfield dynamo Not Wayne Quinn, definitely not Wayne, well played Wayne, over here Quinny brought them back into the game. The linesman did however assure us that this was not the Wayne Quinn and we can only assume that it was not, and that he was not or could not have been called Wayne or Quinn. The debate on this rolled on late into the evening and did involve several special Lucozades, well if Carlsberg did Lucozade, it would be........

With Hayle now with the wind at their backs they did start to push forward but some stubborn and resolute defending from Rangers back line of, Run Robbie Run Willets, the twisted fire starter Steve Wortley, cold legs Williams and Dan to small Thomas. There would be no way back into this game for them, even when they did get a sight on goal young Bart its behind you Wortley proved to be difficult to beat.

With Hayle pushed on it was a quick and precise break that put the final nail in their coffin. With three quick passes a ball into the box from out wide by Old mother Hubbard, picked out Nicholas Hichens who on one of his commando raids into the box slotted home the Rangers fourth.

As the clock ticked on it was time for changes and with the job done it was Midfield Stalwart Dave Brand, Mike 9 Dock Donnington, and Skipper Nicholas Hitchens who made way and into the fray came Young Scott Hair Eastwood, Mat 24 hour rally Waddell, and Scouse our kid Bailey. With the changes unsettling Rangers a little and with minds thinking the job was done, Hayle managed to pull one back after defender Run Robbie Run Willets miss headed back to the Rangers Keeper Bart its behind you Wortley, only for the Hayle striker to nip in and after a ping pong moment slide the ball home. This was a moment to earn the defender this weeks D.O.T.D pink club shirt. It was however the last real action of the game and at 4-2 a only a consolation effort.

As the final whistle blew it was without doubt that the best side had won this contest and Rangers could look back on a good performance and a much needed league win. This was one of Rangers best performances this season and the merge of youth and experience is beginning to pay dividends for the club. With both senior and junior players contributing to this performance and the new found strike force of Leach and Hitchens both finding the net things are starting to look up again for Rangers.

Next week Rangers entertain a much improved Cury side in a local Derby game. They will need to keep their new found form going and no less than a win will do if they are to pull themselves back into the promotion Hunt.

Match Report By Cozy Powell

Terry Jennings Cup 1st Round, Porthleven Rangers 3 - Camborne Park 2

This week Rangers entertained Camborne Park in the first round of the Terry Jennings Cup a game which they badly needed to win.

Rangers fielded a very youthful side this week with a starts being given to 4 of Rangers young guns, Scott, Johnny, Dan , and Martin, all of which showed no quarter to a much bigger and Older Camborne side.

With this youthful line up giving their all and the old brigade passing on their words wisdom it was going to be a long afternoon for the older larger Park side.

The game started brightly again this week for Rangers and whilst playing into a strong wind they dominated the early proceedings. Rangers Passed the ball and made the older Camborne players work hard to keep up, something their legs would pay for later. It was however Park who took the lead when from their first real venture into Rangers half saw them gain a corner. With management, crowd and all on sundry, shouting at the defence to pick up, a deep ball in found the Camborne skipper a good ten yards out and he headed goal ward. Rangers giant dwarf of a keeper Tiddles Pawley was seen to stand taller than he jumped and the ball arced over him and into the net.

One down Rangers and with previous losses on their minds it could all so easily have gone wrong from here. The goal for once however didn't seem to phase Rangers and when they pulled the score level within 5 minutes it was no surprise. After some good work on the flank by Mr whippy Johnny Leech a ball to into the corner found an open Mike Digger Donnington who beat the next man with ease and drove a low ball across the face to the unmarked Vorsprung durch technik Hichens who slotted it home.

This game was always going to be a contest and the bigger Camborne side made good use of the wind at times, always having the opportunity to clear the ball down field when needed. From one of their breaks a ball to their front man on the edge of the box was wasted when he struck a weak shot. It was at this point however that we had a Paul Robinson moment. As Tiddles got behind the ball ready to pick it up, it suddenly jumped and hit his shoulder this lucky touch deflected it wide of the mark and everyone breathed again.

As the clock ran down there was still time for Rangers to try to snatch defeat from Victory when a long kick from the keeper sailed over the hapless defence, where a clear shout of Over Me was detected, 'well, you don't say." The on rushing forward latched on to the ball and beat the keeper at his near post, yes I said near post. With barely time to restart the game Rangers were going in a goal down.

The second half saw a quick start from Camborne and an early opportunity missed after a poor roll out from Tiddles put the back four into trouble but a poor shot sailed high and wide. This was as close as Park would come this half. The younger legs of Rangers pushed Park back and with no long ball get out clause, Park started to look ready for the taking.
With pressure mounting it was another good passing move which opened up the defence and a lead to the equaliser for Johnny Nauti Leach. It was young right back Dan I need a medium shirt Thomas and midfield keeper Bart Wortley who started the move and after delivering the ball into the box Two scopes and a flake slotted home. His first for the Club and no more than his work had deserved.

As the half went on Rangers dominance was starting to tell and those older legs were beginning to tire. It was surely only a matter of time before Rangers would score again. With Ten minutes left on the clock Dave Banned Brand struck a fearsome shot from outside the area it looked like the winner all the way but it only smacked off the cross bar with the keeper well beaten. Then two scopes somehow managed to hit the bar with the goal at his mercy from a yard out after some good work by the Rangers front line. Young Scott my hair eastwood drove a ball just wide of the mark with five to go and Park survived again.

With only minutes on the clock left Park dropped another body into the defence and looked to be playing for extra time. Rangers however would not be deterred and when Mike Donnington found the old Quattro a yard out he coolly headed home what was to prove to be the winner. As time expired it was Rangers cheers that could be heard and for once they had the win there play deserved.

This was a much needed win for Rangers and with some good young talent now starting to look the part, and some older wiser heads keeping their feet on the ground this is a club on the up again.

The final words from me go to the opposition and Ref. This week I can say well played Ref, even with the assessor looking on you had a good one.
As for Camborne Park well played it was a good game played in the right spirit and we look forward to our up and coming league games.

Match Report By Cozy Powell