Porthleven Rangers 3 v Carharrack

This week Rangers entertained the leagues bottom side Carharrack and came away with all the points after a blustery game.

Rangers welcomed back a couple of old faces to the side, when long term injured players Neal Jaffa Bartlett, Pension book Andy Wortley and even the ginger winger Ryan Hughes all returned to the playing field.

This was always going to be a game of two half's with a strong breeze blowing end to end across a very exposed field. Instructions for the skipper to take the wind if given the chance allowed Rangers to play with three up top and three at the back for the first half.

Rangers dominated the first half and were never really tested at the back. Neal Bartlett put Rangers one up after a fine piece of individual skill and with one of his best scuffed shots found the bottom corner of the net. This was soon followed by the young Jonny Ice Cool Leach who having lifted the ball over the advancing keeper latched on again and scored into an empty net. If that wasn't enough after a marauding Old mother Hubbard went clean through the defence and was brought down in the box. Up stepped TT Hichens to slot home the resultant penalty, allegedly after fainting left then right and finally dipping a shoulder so he says.

It is fair to say however that Rangers should have put this game well and truly to bed before the half time whistle blow. This however was not the case with several chances going begging and with a very effective offside trap catching player after player offside. With two or three clear breaks called back for what appeared to be very quick flags the gap was not as big as it should have been when the whistle went.

The second half was always going to be tough into the wind. It was Rangers who created the first real opportunity and when front man Bartlett beat the trap and the keeper, it was not to be and the wind carried the ball outside the post, with the whole park watching and thinking it must surely have gone in.

Carharrack did now finally start to press and with the wind at their backs gained a foot hold in the game. Rangers sometimes being a little over confident on the ball did create some of their own trouble but it was an error from Rangers Keeper Tiddles Pawley that led to Carharracks first goal. Caught in two minds whether to come or not he finally elected to come and the forward gratefully lifted the ball into an unguarded net.

Rangers seemed to have replied almost straight away after Jonny Ice and TT combined for what seemed a clear goal. With TT running from behind a defender and having the ball laid back to him by Jonny he slotted home with ease. The Ref blow up and several players started to make their way back to the centre spot, the Linesman and Referee had other ideas though and a free kick was awarded for off side.

Carharrack having survived that incident pressed again and when Tiddles was beaten for a second time the ball was cleared of the line by the Pension Book himself Andy Wortley. This scramble lifted the away side and when Rangers got caught in possession deep in their own half a gleeful forward knock a ball passed the advancing keeper to make it 3 - 2. With time now virtually up however it was a mere consolation goal and when the whistle did finally blow it was Rangers 3 Carharrack 2.

This was a good performance by the bottom side and showed that when given some believe they could prove to be a handful for several sides yet. Rangers will be happy to have taken the points and kept themselves in the mix for this years promotion contest. They will however need to raise their game if they intend to remain in that hunt come the end of the season.

Match Report By Cozy Powell