Early Start For Bailey

Teenager Bailey Osborne didn't take long to make his mark on this game against Baldock Town, scoring after just 30 seconds. Lewis Patrick went on a typical marauding run down the left flank before sending in a powerful low cross that fizzed across the face of the Baldock goalmouth for Osborne to ram home at the far post. A minute later and Marcus Wyllie produced a similar cross that just eluded the outstretched boot of Bertie Squire-Adams. The expected collapse by the visitors did not materialize however as they regained their composure and began to come more into the game, creating a couple of half chances themselves. The next big chance came after 20 minutes when a dangerous cross from Patrick was nearly turned into the net by a United defender, the ball inches past the post. The subsequent corner was headed wide by Asher Yearwood. A period of inaction followed as both teams struggled to come to terms with a firm surface, the only shot coming from Wyllie from distance and wide. This was shortly followed up by Yearwood also firing wide from the edge of the area. As the half entered the final ten minutes Rangers had two good chances but both Osborne and Sean Coles delayed their shots allowing defenders to recover. More shooting opportunities were wasted as the home side looked to try to play through a packed defence. The half ended with a superb pass from Keiron Schmidt picking out Osborne, who raced through and fired just wide as the keeper raced out to narrow the angle.

The second period began with Schmidt volleying well wide. Four minutes later and Yearwood surged through the middle before sliding his effort wide of the post. In the 58th minute following a good move from Rangers, Yearwood was tripped in the Baldock penalty area and a spot kick was awarded and duly dispatched by Wyllie to double the host's lead. Ten minutes later and Yearwood should score following Adam Morris' corner, heading wide in front of goal. A rare attack from the visitors was thwarted with a fine tackle by Patrick in the Rangers penalty area. Back came Rangers and a mistake by the Town keeper allowed Osborne to square to Wyllie who drilled the ball toward an empty net before, from nowhere, the keeper recovered to pull of a quite magnificent save. Another very good save followed shortly after as the young keeper dived to his left to save Morris' impressive strike. Eight minutes from time and Baldock pulled one back with their first real chance of the game as Rangers failed the clear their lines, the ball dropping kindly for Aldridge whose soft shot bobbled into the corner of the net through a crowd of players. Baldock sniffed an opportunity and Jack Brooker in the Rangers goal was forced to cut out several crosses as the visitors pushed for an equaliser. In the closing minutes the home defence saw off a couple of corners with some sound defensive work to make sure of the three points. This being Risborough's fourth game in eight days there were some tired legs at the end. It doesn't stop there however, as Rangers travel to Dunstable on Tuesday in the league, then it's off to Ardley Thursday in the Challenge Trophy and away again Saturday at Leverstock Green. And to think that there were a couple of months earlier in the year where the team only had three games allocated in the month. Madness!

Rangers Man of the Match: Ben Sturgess. The midfielder showed just why he is so highly regarded with a perfect display on how to break up play, screen the back four and cover for the attacking fullbacks. Started many of the Rangers moves with his economical passes.