WOKINGHAM WOES

Rangers continued with their up and down season with a defeat at bottom club, Wokingham & Emmbrook, going down by three goals to one on Tuesday night. The defeat means that in recent weeks Rangers have managed to lose to three of the bottom four clubs in the table, which does not make comfortable watching for supporters who have grown used to seeing their team at the top end of the table in recent seasons. It could have been so different had the visitors taken their chances however, and they could have gone in with a comfortable lead at half time but for some woeful finishing and great goalkeeping. As early as five minutes West played in James with just the keeper to beat, a fine save denying him. The resultant corner was headed just wide by Urquhart. Wokingham broke away soon after, a dangerous ball flashing across the face of the Rangers goal being turned away for a corner. Rangers defensive frailties were shown up again when, from the corner, a free header hit the bar. Wokingham reacted quickest to the rebound and the second chance was headed in to give the home side the lead. 16 minutes in and a Rangers corner found Gilmore whose close range header was somehow saved brilliantly on the line. Ten minutes later and a good move by Rangers saw Thorne pick out Enver-Marum in the Wokingham six yard box and again Rangers were denied by a point blank save. Moments later and Peake-Pijnen's free kick was headed inches wide by Toomey as Rangers dominated for a spell. Stranks then burst through but delayed his shot allowing the home side to recover. A rare break by Wokingham ended with a shot fizzed well wide before Rangers were back on the attack again. Toomey's clever turn and shot was well held. Another Rangers corner and Gilmore was again denied when his effort was kicked off the line. Sturgess's deep cross then evaded the keeper, hitting the crossbar. A mini revival for Wokingham followed with a couple of corners before the half ended with a Rangers corner, James' inswinger punched out from under the bar by the keeper. As the teams began their hike to the far away dressing rooms there was a sense of what was to come from the Risborough fans, a sense of foreboding.

The second half panned out as suspected with Rangers struggling to break down a stubborn defence at one end and the gifting of two goals at the other. Rangers thought they had equalised three minutes from the restart when West bundled home but the linesman's flag was raised. Six minutes later and James' close range header was tipped over the bar by Wokingham's star man in goal. For much of the remainder of the half the ball spent its time being punted from end to end. 20 odd minutes into the second period and a couple of harmless efforts did little to trouble Hill in the Rangers goal and there was little to trouble the visitors until Gilmore was caught on the ball and robbed on the edge of his own box, allowing Wokingham to score with an easy finish. Five minutes later and a poor pass put Hill under pressure and his clearance was blocked. In his efforts to recover the Rangers keeper conceded a penalty and Wokingham added a third. Two mistakes, two goals! Rangers rallied a little toward the end and with ten minutes to go Toomey pulled one back from the penalty spot for his 28th of the season. James almost scored fortuitously when he just beat the keeper to a loose ball; the ball spinning over the keeper and onto the roof of the net. The Wokingham keeper pulled of another great save from Peake-Pijnen's fierce drive before Luwero was then denied with a desperate block. A couple of late Wokingham efforts were wide of the mark as Rangers chucked men forward and but it was James with the last chance when he was through with just the keeper to beat, but in this form the home keeper was never going to be beaten and another great save followed. So, a mixture of great goalkeeping and defending at one end and the opposite at the other. With Rangers in a comfortable mid table position the result was always more important to the opposition in their struggle to stave off relegation, but with three games left to play for the visitors the fans will expect better, starting this Saturday at home to Broadfield United. Kick off at the Kamtech Stadium is 3pm.