Match Review: Casuals FC vs TGA Rangers FC

• DF Greg Ryan
• DF Frazer Young
• DF Mark Stead
• MD Ali Craggs
• MD Josh Brimblecombe
• MD Steve Janes
• MD Will Patz
• ST Ranvir Ubhi
• ST Andy Woodbridge
• -- Oliver Stultz
• -- Jamie Miller

• DF Lee Scurr
• DF David Phelps
• MD Scott Lambert
• ST Nick Verrill

Double Digits

Still feeling the unjust frustration of losing to Hotspurs the week before, Casuals turned up wanting to make amends against a Rangers team yet to drop points this season. The gaffers positively negative critical team talk at the start got everyone going as Casuals made the brighter of the opening exchanges, knocking the ball around and looking threatening from the edge of the Rangers box. Steady's untimely calf injury, resulting from the only time he actually ran that night, began a period of Rangers pressure and Casuals panic. Eventually, a soft freekick was pumped forward with Rangers directing the ball goal bound. 1-0. Still in the game, Casuals settled and finished the half as they began, Ronnie, Josh and Oli causing tons of problems for the Rangers defence with their pace and skill, and getting plenty of chances to score. Andy's freekick was well saved, and Oli's indirect freekick from a back pass went narrowly over. Corners and crosses going into the box meant Casuals were just missing that final touch to put the ball in. Second half and Rangers sat back to play the counter attack while Casuals pushed forward to find a goal. More chances came for both teams, Andy scoring a cracking freekick from the edge of the box, while Nick's drop of the shoulder had the defender spinning and took him down in the box, Will converting the pen. Unfortunately Rangers played the counter attack too well and always had a goal or two advantage, leaving Casuals to adopt a 2-2-8 formation. The last play of the match saw Casuals go from attack to defence with one long ball and the lad beating Janesy to it, slotting home with ease. 4-2 final score, both teams with chances in the double digits but Rangers took theirs while Casuals look forward to taking putting their chances away against SCC next week. MOM: Josh and Andy both worked their socks off. Andy nudges it for the quality of his freekick. MOM Rangers: Nathan for his influence all over the pitch.

• Bernd Schiele GK
• Jonathan Cloak DF
• Jordan Laing DF
• Taishi Fukuda DF
• Chris Jones DF
• Paddy Sutton MD
• Stephen McLaughlin MD
• Nathan Bryer MD
• Danny Dean --
• Umar Ngalim --
• Kosuke Uchida --

• Salvatore Adaldo ST
• Mike Sharples ST
• Dominic Booth --
• Ryoga Yamada --
• Olly Griffin --

Rangers first Friday night game of the season came against a Casuals team who seemed to have played well recently. The game started at a quick pace, the young tricky Casuals wingers and front man were going for it but the Rangers defence were holding firm. Wasn’t until midway through the first half when Kosuke floated a lovely ball behind the back line for JB to run onto and glance past the keeper with his head. 1-0 it stayed until half time with both teams having chances they couldn’t take. The introduction of the ginger assassin at half time was supposed to take immediate effect but Casuals Andy had a different idea spanking the ball top bin from a free kick on the edge of the box. 1-1. This seemed to spark Rangers into life and were back in front not too long after with the ginger assassin latching onto a through ball to round the keeper and tuck home. He then somehow got his nugget onto a Jordan corner to make it 3-1 with a fine header. As usual we tend to keep teams interested, as is our generous spirit, so we gave away a penalty which was scored by Will to make it 3-2. Despite the ginger assassin missing basically two open goals he soon got his hat trick when Olly slid another through ball for him to tuck home. 4-2 final score and was another real test for the team before moving on to the French on Saturday. MOM for Casuals was Andy, could see he’s the heartbeat of the team keeping the ball moving and a great free kick. MOM for Rangers was Kosuke, quality and commanding performance despite only his second start.