Rangers Revenge

Rangers gained revenge for their opening day defeat at Leverstock Green, where Green won the day with virtually the last kick of the match, with this resounding five-nil thumping at 'Windsors' on Saturday. With only two of the Risborough starting line up having played in that first game, it was a very different side that faced the men in green on Saturday and despite missing several key players including skipper Josh Urquhart, Keiron Schmidt, Ollie Hogg and Michael Harding, it was as comfortable as they come. The absences meant a first start for youngster, Rahman Ajibola, whilst right back, Joe Fiztpatrick, did admirably as make-shift centre half. Green came with an impressive record, having lost only seven of their 30 league games to date but Rangers piled on the pressure from the off. An early effort from Makowski was well blocked. Soon after Makowski again forced the keeper into an excellent diving save. From the corner Read's powerful header was parried out with Yearwood's follow up blocked on the line. Dobson's fierce low strike was deflected for a corner on the quarter hour mark before Miller beat two men to shoot, his effort also blocked. The game was 20 minutes old before Leverstock Green's first chance, a header wide at the far post. Rangers came back and good play from Miller and Makowski set up Greco who crashed his angled shot against the bar. Moments later Robinson did well to find Makowski who fizzed a shot across the face of goal with a sliding Ajibola just unable to get the final touch. A spell of free kicks for both sides followed as handbags were raised, before a shot from the visitors was high and wide. Rangers finally got the breakthrough with just a little good fortune when Miller cut inside his man and curled his shot toward the far post, the Leverstock keeper appeared to have it covered but the ball slipped through his grasp and into the net to give the home side a deserved lead. A minute later and Rangers doubled their lead after Miller did well to block a clearance. The ball dropped to Makowski who strode into the Leverstock area and slotted past the keeper. Good work from the impressive Sturgess then set Dobson away, his cross eventually falling to Read, who scuffed his effort in front of goal, the ball gratefully hacked clear. A couple of rare forays from the visitors as a volley was fired harmlessly wide before Ranger's keeper, Hunt was forced to make his only save of the match, diving to his left to push away a dangerous strike in the 45th minute.

The second half was only two minutes old when Miller turned his marker well on the halfway line to set Greco away. The left winger raced forward before squaring to Makowski whose shot was parried out only as far as the onrushing Ajibola to slam home the loose ball and make it three. Eight minutes later and it was four as Rangers carved the goal of the game; A good pass from Sturgess to Miller, who in turn set Makowski away down the Green's right. Makowski's pin-point cross picked out Miller, who had continued his run, at the far post for a neatly headed finish. The visitors looked well beaten until a moment of red mist from Greco saw him given a red card. With half hour still to play Leverstock looked to impose the extra man, though Rangers rarely looked troubled. Green could count themselves lucky not to have lost Blunden to a red when he kicked Fitzgerald off the ball, bizarrely only receiving a yellow. Hunt easily gathered a soft header soon after and with 17 minutes left on the clock a scramble in the Rangers goalmouth was unceremoniously cleared by Read. That was the last of any threat posed by the visitors as Rangers, despite being a man down, resumed their attacking after good work from Yearwood, winning the ball in midfield he then fed Miller whose shot was saved at close range when he probably should have squared to unmarked substitute, Odumosu for an easy tap in. Odumosu did have a shot blocked soon after and Yearwood went just wide with a decent low strike. With ten minutes remaining Enver-Marum did well to track back and win the ball, driving forward before finding Odumosu who drew the keeper before calmly stroking home Rangers' fifth. The Rangers defence saw out the game easily with Hunt taking one dangerous cross with aplomb, but other than that, having little to do. Five wins in a row for Rangers as they enter a very busy period with two midweek away trips, on Tuesday at Biggleswade United and Thursday at Dunstable Town, before another long trip on Saturday when they face Potton United. It will be a very tough test, but one can't help thinking, if only we'd had this squad at the start of this season!

Rangers Man of the Match: Ben Sturgess. Plenty of candidates after a five-star performance by Rangers, but Sturge gets the nod after a superb performance in the heart of midfield on a strength sapping pitch. Sturge is often overlooked with his workmanlike displays and no-frills football, but he does so much that others may not see, not least his never say die attitude that sets the tone of the team's performance. He was involved in everything today, creating for others, defending, cajoling and managing the game, knowing when to turn a team or when to keep the ball. It's called experience!