Early FA Cup Exit For Rangers

Bob Rayner reports from Stag Meadow

Rangers bowed out at the first stage of the FA Cup for the second season running when they travelled to Virginia Water on Saturday. In a largely uneventful match where neither keeper were tested for long periods, two late goals from Virginia Water ensured their place in the hat for the next stage. Rangers began brightly with Peters shooting just wide following a good move. Six minutes in and Rangers keeper, Hunt, found Toomey who broke through to shoot into the arms of the home keeper with an angled shot. Four minutes later and a Rangers corner was half cleared to Ajibola, whose shot was well blocked. Soon after and Scott's free kick curled just over the angle of the Virginia Water goal as Rangers continued to press. Another free kick from Rangers followed with Peake-Pijnen's low shot well gathered. At 20 minutes the hosts first chance came as Rangers were dispossessed and they should havescore, the ball pin-balling around the visitors six yard box before being scrambled away. The home team grew into the game and seven minutes later a curling shot wide of the far post followed a good move. Shortly after, Rangers skipper, Urquhart, did well to deflect a shot on the edge of his box. Rangers rallied as Scott skipped past the full back to fizz the ball across the face of the Virginia Water six yard box, with no takers to add a finishing touch. The hosts hit back with a cross from the left, a poor header going wide before the half petered out unimaginatively.

The second half began as the first finished with neither side creating until ten minutes in Hunt easily dealt with a long range effort. Toomey and the home keeper clashed in a 50-50 challenge on 60 minutes in a rare foray, the keeper given a free kick. At the other end another easy save for Hunt. With Toomey isolated for long periods and Virginia Water also creating little a draw looked on the cards when in the 80th minute another weak shot was easily picked up by Hunt. The tedium was finally broken with a minute to go and a neat move down the Rangers left led to the ball finding Water's Blake who gave Hunt no chance from 15 yards. From the restart Fitzgerald's deep cross was side footed straight at the keeper by Lawford as Rangers rallied. Virginia Water added a second in the 90th minute with a well taken finish from Gairy after a clever run. In time added on the home team soaked up some pressure with Connolly heading wide from 10 yards out then Evans screwing his shot wide from a difficult angle, before Urquhart fired wide following Lawsons cross. It was too little, too late from the visitors and Virginia Water were rewarded for their hard work and well taken goals with a place in the next round.

After a bright start Rangers faded badly with the home side deserving the win after the visitors looked as though they had run out of legs. Going forward Rangers looked impotent as the game progressed, with Toomey often isolated, cast as a lone figure feeding on scraps. Scott created problems for Virginia Water down the left but on the whole Rangers never looked like scoring. The management will have their work cut out to rally the team before the first league match, at home next Saturday versus one of the fancied teams, Rayners Lane. Kick off for that game is 3pm.

Rangers Man of the Match: Josh Urquhart. The skipper was his usual calm and controlled self, Winning his headers, tackles and interceptions. Always calm on the ball and good with his distribution.