Match Review: TGA Rangers FC vs Olympique Gaulois Singapore

• DF Hiromitsu Nakaue
• DF Chris Jones
• DF Jonathan Cloak
• MD Nathan Bryer
• MD Paddy Sutton
• MD Stephen McLaughlin
• ST Mike Sharples
• ST Salvatore Adaldo
• -- Rob Whitworth
• -- Rowan Anders
• -- Nick Lenicheck

• GK Bernd Schiele
• -- Angelo Gullota
• -- Udit Dhawan

How to build a wall by Rowan Anders

Another Friday night game for the Rangers lads, looking forward to playing against the 'much better than current league position' French. The squad was looking pretty decent as the great stallion Italian Salvo made his much anticipated comeback after a lay-off due to work commitments (poor attitude so was dropped by the gaffer). The game started at a frantic pace, Rangers finding joy moving forward and peppering the OG goal. Unfortunately for us a combination of poor finishing and top notch goalkeeping kept us at bay and OG in the game. The fans on the touchline were muttering about the potential for a cricket score but after they realised they had no idea what cricket was they soon moved on to talking about the weather. OG gradually grew more into the game but Rangers took a deserved lead when Padtrick had a speculative effort (going towards the stand is being kind) deflected into the net via the defender. Of course he tried to claim it, by sweet talking the ref at full time, but you ain't pulling the wool over our eyes sunshine. Then the moment of the game...just before the end of the first half OG got a free kick on the edge of the box. Rowan asked for an 11-man wall but soon realised the ref was not allowed to join in the festivities. After lining up the lads for what seemed like an eternity, the Billy Idol lovechild was all set. The wall covered 90% of the goal so he just had to cover the corner to make sure nothing squeezed in. Oh dear. HT: 1-1. The second half was very entertaining, both teams playing some good football at times and creating chances. The Christmas puddings were still being worked off by some people who shall remain nameless (Salvo) and chances for both teams went begging. Final score 1-1. MOM for Rangers was JB. Running around like a mad man for most of the game, crunching tackles and moaning a lot. Great stuff. MOM for OG was going to go to Remi but as he mentally scarred the whole team for walking away from Turf in just his threadbare underwear we thought the keeper should get it for a debut to remember. Think I saw a few people gag after he walked by...

• Keion Ing GK
• Nordine Talhi DF
• Oussama Labib DF
• Francois Bazin MD
• Lionel Bastos --
• Remi Tache --
• Maxime Segura --
• Samuel Heraud --
• Mab Dousen --
• Philippe Guerrand --
• Maxime Kleszcz --

• Andy Dyne MD
• Hugo Tauler --
• Antoine Lemarié --

Great football, Fair Result

First game in 2017 with a lot of extra kilos for most of us. We faced on of the top team of the league who already had resumed their season with a victory last week. To spicy the game up a little more coach Simon decided to go with a 4 3 3 with Max S at the top, and Philippe moving a bit forward as number 6 alone. Game start with mainly Rangers holding possession of the ball and creating threat on well taken set pieces. They scored one from a well taken free kick but the goal got fairly disallowed for offside. After difficult 15min we started to see the light and created a few opportunity especially when Sam managed to get the ball back from a poor clearance and faced their keeper. His "shoot" as well saved but he managed to get the ball back on the goal kick line and pass it back to Ouss who only managed to hit the side net. When we though we are getting better into the game Rangers got us from another set piece that was cleared, then sent back into the area where Mal could only deflect it into his own net from a wonderful kinda outside of the boot volley. 1-0. Rangers kinda slow down a bit after the goal and we manage to put a foot on the ball and pressuring higher. Soon after couple of alert, Nono setup up to take a free kick at the entrance of the box and equalize thanks to a low kick into the opposite bottom corner after a slight deflection. 1-1. The same man later managed only to hit the post from the corner of the 6 yard box. Minutes later we scored a similar goal than the Rangers one that was disallowed. Same goal same sentence, disallowed. 1-1 HT We had a happy talk from the coach, but nonetheless did not want to settle for 1 points tonight. So we went back onto the pitch eager to do better. The following 45min were really even with both team creating chances. Sharples at severals occasion could not hit the target. On our side, we created couple of chances from Hugo who brought a lot of pace when he came in after some hard work from Max S up front. Antoine had his shoot too and Remi could have maybe done better from a good cross from Andy at the second post. Many yellow were given tonight though we fell it was one of the most fair play game we play all season long, play with high pace, good spirit and it resulted with good football when the ref allowed it. Fair result at the end when both team could have won it. MOM Gaulois goes to Lio & Man for getting a good grasp on Sharple tonight and limiting him with long range shoot only in difficult position. It could also have been Keion in goal for his first game with us. He did saved us with one amazing reflex save on the line from a close header. The truth is that everyone played his part tonight . MOM Rangers goes to Hiro for taking nice pictures before and after the game.