In Risborough’s first home fixture for nearly five weeks, Manager Gary Meakin’s preparations weren’t helped by late withdrawals, injuries, suspensions and players’ unavailability due to work commitments. They were further hampered when Captain and top scorer Elliot Buchanan was forced off on 33 minutes with a painful-looking injury. Up to that point, Rangers had created the better of the game’s few chances – young Micah Williams turned his marker on five minutes and saw his shot saved by Connor Sansom whilst Harry Stratton’s goal-bound snapshot on 12 minutes took a deflection to send it wide. In truth, though, both sides were struggling to get any real grip on the game, and they reached half-time without troubling the scoreboard.

The visitors, Kendall Gyamfi, got the second period underway with a shot that was well held by Ben Bridle-Card. The game, however, was turned on its head on 52 minutes when Rangers forward Alex Cathline was shown a straight red card by Ref Adam Jackson, who deemed the striker’s collision with a defender to be deliberate rather than accidental. Even the Cockfosters bench thought the punishment was harsh, but they gleefully accepted the gift, and within five minutes they took the lead as a long throw caused confusion in the Rangers box and George Lutaaya poked the ball home.

They doubled their lead on 67 minutes when a move down the Risborough right saw the ball pulled back, and though Bridle-Card made a fine save from the first effort, he was powerless to prevent Gyamfi scoring on the follow-up.

Gyamfi got his second of the day on 76 minutes when he raced onto a ball on the left side and coolly slotted past Bridle-Card to ensure his side left the Kamtech with all three points and in the process completed a league double over their hosts.

Next week, Saturday January 31st, Rangers will be looking to return to winning ways when they host Crawley Green. Kick-off 3PM.