CFY 3-7 Ranville Rangers
Pre-Season Friendly - 1st September 2007
After last week's storming win over Totton, Chandlers Ford were handed a reality check this morning at the hands of Ranville Rangers – a side they have beaten in past seasons.
Having gone 1-0 up through a Michael Sawbridge penalty, following a foul on Joe in the area, the visitors hit back quickly with some lovely football.
CFY did however make a good opening to the game, obviously getting the goal from the spot kick to take an early lead but even before then the Blues looked dangerous with the long ball over the top with Montigue and Smith putting pressure on the Rangers back four.
Immediately after, Sawbridge fired home from 12 yards – picking out the bottom left hand corner, captain Josh Harrigan was forced to leave the field with a back injury to unsettle Chandlers Ford defensively.
Unusually, having gone a goal in front, this seemed to work against Ford as Ranville upped their game; passing the ball well and making the most of the space they were allowed to play in, the visitors played their way through to an equaliser with a free-flowing move that resulted in a good finish.
Ford were soon 1-2 down when another well-worked Ranville goal made a mockery of some lacklustre defending.
Straight from the kick off, CFY found an instant reply and came right back into the game when just moments ago it seemed things were heading down hill rapidly. Michael's long ball up the park from centre half, saw the Ranville defence incapable of dealing with the pace and bounce on the delivery allowing Jozef Montigue to run through on goal, out sprint his marker, before slotting past the keeper into the bottom right hand corner to level things up.
Other chances throughout the half saw Michael Wall come close when he ran through from full back to shoot narrowly wide of the post. Miles Hodge who put in a solid display in the centre of midfield, set up Montigue with a fine header. Joe on this occasion was very unlucky to see his flying volley fall just the wrong side of the net.
With time running down, Ranville restored their lead and momentum with a third goal to knock the stuffing out of CFY before the break.
HALF TIME: CFY 2-3 Ranville Rangers
Their was only one side in it really from here on, as Ford had all but given up hope whilst Rangers dominated the play.
Chandlers Ford lost Montigue in the second half, as the goalscorer found himself unable to continue after picking up a knock.
Rangers went on to grab four more goals throughout the remainder of the match, their better use of the ball and passing movements too much to handle for the home side.
Right at the end, Harrigan, who had gone off earlier in the game, had come back on in the second half and looked the most lively player on the park in a blue shirt with brave defending to stop further humiliation, not to mention sending in one trademark long throw after the other; in the final few stages to earn himself the man of the match award.
This pressure from CFY was deservedly rewarded with a goal, Harrigan claiming it with his dangerous throw (better than a corner!), bouncing off the head of a Ranville defender up into the top left hand corner of his own goal in a crowded penalty area to pull it back to 3-5.
Though it was too little too late. Ranville punishing the poor concentration of their opponents still finding time to net their sixth and seventh goals of the day to kill the game off.
FULL TIME: CFY 3-7 Ranville Rangers
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