RANGERS EDGED OUT

With Mark Eaton celebrating his 150th game as Risborough Rangers manager and our visitors strong start to their Combined Counties Premier Division campaign coupled with the added spice that the Wares were looking for revenge for our 3-2 Vase win over them last term, it was all set for an intriguing tie.

The first chance fell to The Wares which goes high over the Rangers bar. On 4 minutes Harry Scott was put through by Asher Yearwood but draws his shot wide of the far post. Curtis Brown saves the day for Rangers blocking in front of an open goal. A minute later and Rangers debutant goalkeeper Sam Ashmead made a smart save by getting his foot to the ball destined for the bottom corner and pushing it wide. Next chance came Risboro’s way when a great ball from Hercules found Rico Greco down the left who whips in a dangerous cross but sadly nobody was on hand to connect. A deft lob from Liam Enver-Marum beats the keeper but finds the top of the net. A minute later in the 18th minute and the visitors take the lead when Niko Popov slots home after a nice through ball from Caoilan McGettigan. The Wares were then content to protect their lead and allowed Rangers to see a lot of the ball. On the half hour mark another great dead ball delivery from Rico Greco finds Jefferson Louis on the penalty spot and but he puts his header over the bar. On 33’ another deep cross from Rico Greco again found Louis who heads narrowly wide. Rangers then made to rue these missed chances as the Wares deservedly made it 2-0 on 43 minutes when great pressing by the Wares and a great steal by Caoilan McGettigan who then rounds Ashmead and finishes from a tight angle to put the visitors into a strong position going into the break.

Manager Mark Eaton made a double half-time substitution with Tom Unsworth and Kamal McEwan coming on for Harry Scott and Jordan Heggie. The start of second half saw Rangers seeing a lot of the ball but with a lot of stoppages the game became bitty, in the 57th minute a rare chance for Rangers as they switch play through Curtis Brown to Tom Unsworth who curls his shot high and wide. Rangers pulled a goal back on the hour with Yearwood slotting home neatly from a Tom Unsworth cross. This sparked Rangers into life with Edgware holding their own and defending stoutly. The pressure paid off in 75th when following a corner Rangers equalise with a scrambled goal by Ellis Hercules. A melee then ensued between both sides with the Edgware keeper Donnabhan Green receiving a red card, shortly after Wares Craige Tompkins was sin binned and Edgware were down to 9 men. Rangers smelt blood, on 87 minutes Enver-Marum spins and shoots and the goal is denied only by a magnificent save from the stand-in Edgware keeper. In the 91st minute and Rangers have the ball in the back of the net but it’s ruled out for offside. Two minutes later with Rangers pushing forward they were always prone to a quick break, on 90+3’ minutes and Rico Greco blocks an effort on the line. Two minutes later and the inevitable happened with Rangers camping around the visitors area they lost possession with a loose pass, Edgware broke into space and a mazy run by Caoilan McGettigan and curled a shot into the roof of the net. Rangers heads visibly dropped but there was still ten minutes to play but the closest they came to equalising came when Jefferson Louis leaped highest to meet a cross but he headed straight at the keeper. Shortly after the whistle went and our Vase ambitions for the season were ended.

Rangers man of the match: Rico Greco
The left sided defender was a constant threat with his crossing and his positional play when defending, Rico has a great engine and worked hard up and down the pitch.