Rangers returned home from a first ever trip to Harlow Town’s impressive Arena Stadium with all three points and in the process moved up to third place in the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division table.

In truth, the game should have been over as a contest as early as the tenth minute as Risborough created and squandered a handful of great chances. On 2 minutes Josh Williams danced through the home defence but blasted over with only the keeper to beat. A minute later Rio Connell was played through the middle, beat the retreating defenders but not the outstretched palm of keeper James Pellin. AJ then found space in the area following a corner but curled his shot over the bar and then on ten minutes Josh Williams beat the off-side trap and went one on one with Pellin who managed to stretch out his leg and deflect the effort wide. Was it going to be ‘one of those days’?

The home side gradually grew into the game but without really troubling Ben Bridle-Card apart from a deflected strike that came back off the post. Finally, on 41 minutes, Rangers made the breakthrough. Elliott Buchanan chipped a ball into the path of Rio who was clattered into by Pellin, the loose ball falling to EK who had the simple task of slotting home. Half-time, 1-0 to Rangers.

The second period began with more pressure from the visitors and on 48 minutes Alfie Tucker hit a shot from the edge of the area that crept under the diving Pellin to put Rangers 2-0 up. Seven minutes later it was three as Rio got on the end of a fine Rangers quick passing move to notch home the goal his performance richly deserved.

3-0 on 55 minutes had Rangers faithful dreaming a third consecutive five-nil victory. Those hopes were dashed on 73 minutes when Harlow broke down the right-hand side and a great cross saw Jack Cousins head past Bridle-Card. Four minutes later Rangers conceded a second as a fired-up home side out battled Rangers in a scrap just outside the visitors arear leaving Olu Akintunde to run on and shoot past Bridle-Card.

The last ten minutes tested the heart-rates of the visiting supporters but Rangers regrouped and managed to see the game out, albeit with one or two hairy moments. Still, they came for three points and they got them and set’s things up nicely for Tuesday nights tough home game v table toppers Haringey Borough. Come on the Ris!