1st team match report
NAFL DIVISION 1A 13 sept 08
RATHFERN RANGERS 4-1 ARDS RANGERS
After 2 cup exits in a row , it was back to league action for Rathfern on saturday. The visitors to The Diamond were fellow 100%ers Ards Rangers. The fast paced game,played in front of a largish crowd basking in the all too rare sunshine, was a great advertisment for the standard of 1a this season.
Rathfern went in front on 16 minutes when, Matthew Benson, deputising for the missing Colin Andrews, tapped home from a couple of yards following good work from Mark McKay. Ards' combination of a "little and large" forward partnership looked menacing at times although, any shots they had in the opening half-hour gave netminder Robinson little concern. Rathfern went two in front when skipper Davy McCrea audaciously chipped the keeper from 28 yards to justify the home sides dominance. Rathfern could have added a third on 40 minutes but Benson, just failed to connect with another McKay cross.Ards Rangers however, somewhat against the run of play, on 42 minutes ,narrowed the deficit to just one goal with a stunning first-time volley from 25 yards which left Robinson rooted to the spot!
With the visitors now having renewed vigour they started the 2nd half a bit more threateningly and their nippy no9 should have drew his side level but, after waltzing round Robinson he watched as his goal-bound effort was spooned away by the covering Darren Docherty. This clearance was to prove vital because , just minutes later, some fancy footwork from the on-form McKay took him inside the box and he cleverly left Benson with the simplist of tap-ins to give the home side the breathing space their play deserved. The visitors , who battled for every ball in the 1st half, seemed to become disheartened after this 3rd goal and lost their towering substitiute following a rash lunge on Gordon Patterson. Substitute Gary Weir scampered through on 87 minutes and finished with aplomb to put a wrap on a very satisfactory Rathfern result and performance considering the personnel that was unavailable due to a wedding.
RATHFERN RANGERS: MRobinson, Docherty, Crawford, Solomon, Magowan, McCrea, McKay, Logan, Patterson, Moore, MBenson SUBS: Weir, Bustard, Kennedy(unused).
