Harvey Hits Home

Rangers new signing Harvey Harry scored a brace as Rangers picked up three points at Egham Town with a three nil win, Ben Sturgess getting the other goal. It was not as comfortable as the score-line suggested however, with Egham a constant threat with their pace and speed of break up front. Rangers, who were missing injured centre forward, Lewes Toomey, limited the hosts to few chances though, with some fine defending and a solid performance from the midfield three of Sturgess, Toby Nnadozie and the returning Kieron Schmidt. Rangers lost influential skipper and centre back Josh Urquhart to injury just before half time, but with Alex Sethie a worthy replacement alongside Gary Connolly, Rangers keeper Connor Hunt was rarely troubled. Egham looked lively in the opening minutes with Connolly making an important early tackle to concede a corner, the subsequent kick headed high over the Rangers crossbar. Soon after and Hunt was forced to push away a snap shot low down at the near post. Rangers first real chance came 15 minutes in, when a good move ended with Sturgess chipping over from the edge of the Egham area. This spurred the visitors and a good run and cross by Jamie Robinson ended with Harry's effort blocked for a corner. Moments later and a fine ball from Rangers left back, Matt Peake-Pijnen was flicked on by Liam Enver-Marum for Sturgess to hit a superb volley, forcing a great save from the Egham keeper, who tipped the ball over for a corner. Peake-Pijnen delivered the corner and Sturgess, peeling off, headed powerfully home to give Rangers the lead. On 30 minutes a quick break by Harry saw the new signing race through to round the keeper, but the angle was too tight, allowing a covering player to clear the danger; it was a warning however and five minutes later the same player picked up a pass from Peake-Pijnen in the middle of the park and surged forward, evading three challenges, before slotting the ball neatly past the advancing keeper to score a brilliant individual goal. As the game neared half time a moment of complacency from Rangers almost let the home side in, the ball fizzing across the face of the goalmouth. The ball was only cleared to the edge of the area and the resultant shot was well saved by Hunt, diving to his left to push the ball out. A corner followed with the hosts afforded a free header, fortunately for Rangers, well wide of the target.

If a threatened revival was expected from the home side at the start of the second half, the small band of Rangers followers needn't have worried; my notes tell me that apart from one booking for each side, nothing much happened for 24 minutes after the restart, until a Rangers cross just evaded the head of a well placed Rahman Ajibola. Good work from Peake-Pijnen and Harry Scott then set up Enver-Marum who cut inside to fire wide of the far post. Town stepped up their game and Ajibola did well to block a shot inside the Rangers area. Sethie too, was on hand soon after, to head away a dangerous curling cross. Rangers continued to soak up the pressure and with five minutes remaining a clearance was poorly dealt with by the Egham right back and Harry nicked the ball to race away, round the keeper and smash the ball past a back-pedalling defender for his second and Rangers third. In the closing minutes a couple of efforts from the home side both fell wide of the target as they tried to rally. But it was Rangers that went closest with virtually the last kick of the game, when Sean Coles got on the end of a clever pass from Michael Harding before firing a low shot across the keeper onto the inside of the far post, the ball bouncing along the goal-line and into the arms of the grateful keeper.

A good performance on the road from Rangers against a lively and hard working side. The only disappointment being the loss of Josh Urquhart who looks likely to miss the next couple of games, but with Alex Sethie having a good game when he came on as replacement, hopefully that loss will not be keenly felt. Harvey Harry obviously looked the part with two great goals and Keiron Schmidt looked as though his three match ban has done him no harm at all. Just the boost needed before we take on Ardley United at home on Tuesday night. Kick-off at the Kamtech Stadium is 7.45pm.

Rangers Man of the Match: Ben Sturgess. Another great performance from the Assistant Manager. If ever a young player wanted to see what is required to win games, just watch Sturge. His work rate is second to none (despite his age), his decision making likewise, his combativeness is there for all to see, his passing is never wasteful and the winning attitude is an example to all players (I bet he's like this even when playing his kids at snakes and ladders!). Scored a great goal to set us on the way too!