Carharrack 2 - Porthleven Rangers 4

Richards sows it up for rangers!

This week rangers travelled to Carharrack and back to Redruth again for this clash, after discovering that the Venue had been changed.

Rangers taking to the field without a real warm up didn't take long to get going and within 2 minutes of the start Top seamstress Gary Richards forced his way through to score. The home side however responded well to going behind and could so easily have forced an equaliser, but Rangers Keeper Tiddles Pawley who was in fine form pulled of a couple of early saves. Even when he let one by, cash customer Layzell was there to clear the lines, and had another solid game in the ever changing back four of Rangers.

Playing into a stiff breeze and on a small pitch it was hard work for Rangers to find the time and space that they wanted. With the standard of football dropping every second it wasn't until the 28 minute that they doubled the lead. With Gary Richards again finding the back of the net for his second, after some good work in the middle from Si Hubbard and Ricky williams.

Then the trouble started for Rangers with pressure mounting and several corners a fine long range strike brought Carharrack back into the game. This was a case of the under dog not knowing when they are beaten something Rangers know all to well about from last season. With the home side now all up for the contest, it was they who finished the half the strongest.

Half time brought the usual strong words from the management and the second half started with Rangers showing some more control on the game. Then a ball into the box found Bench Hitchens and as he flicked on his marker decided to raise an arm and the ref pointed top the spot. May have been a harsh decision but probably the right one. With players looking round to see who would take it, up stepped Richards in the stitch of time to slot the ball in for his Hat trick.

Still the home side were not done and again Tiddles pulled of another couple of stops but could do nothing about the fine shin that left him back peddling like your average Army General, only to see the ball dip under the bar, and it was game on again.

As time started to pass it was the strangest of goals which finally tied the game up for Rangers. Old Mother Hubbbard went clean through and after a collision with the keeper was left on his back in the box. As the ball ping ponged around for a while he finally got to his feet only to find the ball back where it had started several seconds earlier, so he duly slotted it into the net for Rangers fourth and final goal.

As time ran out it was three scrappy points for Rangers and on this performance Carharrack could prove to be a hand full for others this season. This was definitely a case of Rangers not being at their best and playing at the same level as the opposition but getting away with it.

Its a home game for Rangers next week against new boys Troon and Rangers will be looking for a better performance but at this stage of the season would be happy with the points however they came.