Porthleven Rangers 4 - Lanner 1

This week Rangers took on Lanner at Galla Park, Porthleven. After a week of confusion with league fixtures, cup fixtures, and the home and away schedules. Rangers managed to get a home tie after Lanner graciously agreed to switch the fixture to allow the use of an otherwise unused Galla Park.

The game started brightly for Rangers and after making some good use of the big field Sniff Bray picked out the Old mother Si Hubbard with a good cross and he headed on to we cant play on the left Hitchens, who coolly lobbed the keeper. Then for some strange reason having been given instructions to keep the game wide Rangers started to lose their shape and Lanner started to make the most of their limited possession. The youngest Wortley Bart between the sticks this week was forced into one or two good saves to keep them out. Then came one of those moments that just drive you mad, when a simple throw-in was for some reason thrown across the box instead of down the line. After both Centre half's Brum Willets and the old Pension Book Wortley failed to get to the ball, up step the Lanner forward to score the equaliser. A moment which earned Tom Layzell the Richard of the day pink club shirt this week.

With Rangers losing their shape and failing to go on from what had been a good start, it was no surprise that they failed to take advantage of several good opportunities that they created. When the half time whistle went it was a relief to all concerned and a chance to shake things up.

The second half saw a change at the back for Rangers and the introduction of player manager Cozy Powell at left back and Tom Layzell moving out onto the left. This seemed to give Rangers a better shape along with a more solid back line. The second half was really all Rangers and Lanner were forced to play pretty much on the break. Still however Rangers front line couldn't find the net, when Hitchens was put clean through it looked like the deadlock would be broken, but it wasn't to be. After a quick perorate in front of goal in came a challenge and another great chance went begging. This was followed later by Ricky I cant play a holding roll Williams striking the bottom of the post after a great strike but the score remained deadlocked.

With time ticking by and for all Rangers possession something had to be done. With Hitchens and Williams making way for Mat Wordell and the third Wortley Steve. The introduction of fresh legs in the middle of the park and a change in the front line paid dividends and after a great ball by the largest Wortley Steve in went the seamstress Gary Richards to score the first of his brace. This settled the Rangers and knocked some stuffing out of what was a determined Lanner side. With the whistle still ringing in the ears, Richards was put in for a second time and made no mistake of putting the ball away again. The next ten minutes saw chance after chance created and Band Banned Brand missing out on a couple of good opportunities. With time ticking away Tom Layzell still had a chance to make amends for his school Boy error earlier, and after cutting inside the left back drove a great strike into the bottom corner.

The final whistle went and Rangers had won this one 4-1 and on reflection probably should have won much more comfortally. The wheels have been put back on the Rangers wagon but its still to be seen if they will stay there. Lanner had given this game a real go and most be thanked for the way the game was played and in fact for just playing in the first place. Thanks also go to Digger for his refereeing skills as well cheers mate.

Next week Rangers travel to play Trevenson in the cup and with a now full squad to choose from and after this game selection could be interesting. Could we see the introduction of squad rotation at Rangers who knows?