MORETON RANGERS 0-1 ADDERBURY PARK: THE MATCH REPORT...

Adders Bite Rangers’ Backsides

Moreton Rangers 0-1 Adderbury Park

This turned out to be a strange afternoon in Moreton-in-Marsh, for not only was it Easter Sunday, not only had the game been selected as part of the Easter ‘groundhop’ for addicts and not only was it very warm and sunny, but from being built up as Rangers’ title winning celebration blast, the event was something of a damp squib on the pitch. This must surely have been due to the insistence of a league official that the awarding of the championship trophy must occur just before kick-off but few folks seemed aware of that and many spectators had already taken up touchline positions all round the ground and were thus excluded from viewing the ceremony properly, hence my images being taken from the opposite side of the pitch. The tannoy system was inaudible from there… It was all very sedate then, despite the main photographer’s pulling and pushing of some Moreton players into rows. Naturally, Rangers played poorly and were deservedly beaten by a keen and efficient Adderbury outfit, who were in no mood to capitulate on the day.

THE PROFILES...

It was surely set up then, despite Moreton’s dismal performance and harrowing loss, for a raucous, Champagne-soaking ‘Champione’ rendition by bouncing Rangers players after the game had ended… But no. The players disappeared, a few reappeared and smoked at the edge of the pitch and of course the groundhoppers had already moved on for their next stop at Brimscombe and Thrupp (yes, really…) I waited for a short time but with no evidence spotted that there would be a celebration on the pitch, I simply buggered off home. A strange Easter Sunday afternoon in Moreton-in-Marsh, then…

GIBBONS FINDS A MOMENT TO SCRATCH...

HAYWARD KICKS OFF...

I did have a chat with Rangers’ skipper Adam Shipman after the match and Mandy Timms, who worked industriously to get food organised for many of the 384 spectators who descended upon the town, was a fine host but somehow, on the day, Rangers failed to deliver on the football front and were grateful to ‘keeper Ollie Currill for performing well, although in truth midfielder Martin Tomes had a fine match, seemingly not tired or heavy-legged following Rangers’ hard cup final victory against Bourton Rovers on the previous Thursday evening at Cirencester. However, the contest was all about the Adders…

BRAVE TO ENGAGE IN FALCONRY WITHOUT A GLOVE...

Sure, home winger Liam Nimmo shoved a low near post cross for Tomes to nudge goalwards but visiting goalie Callum Bryant smothered the effort, then the gloveman stopped an angled Dougie Wallace effort like he was an outfielder kicking the ball off his goal-line but otherwise, the best effort at goal came from central defender Harry Smith who had careered forward, received the ball back and his rising drive from 17 yards was only just too high. Really, during that opening period, home strikers Wallace and Lee Brooks failed to impress, Brooks shooting well wide on one occasion and from a good position on the right of goal, Tom Newbould’s headed pass rolled over the instep of Wallace’s right boot as he was attempting to shoot. The striker must have checked that a mole hadn’t reared its inquisitive head just at that moment…

JEACOCK AND HAYWARD...

Left-sided attacker Jamie Wyatt, hit two right-footers for Bryant to collect easily and the winger regularly shunned the outside option to run at his strong Adder marker Lewis Baker and threaten with his left boot towards the byeline. Wallace and Brooks were unable to connect with each other on the day, leaving Wallace clearly really disappointed. The above attacks were rare for the hosts, for their party pooping guests had looked slicker and quicker from the outset, driven on by their bellicose skipper Josh Gibbons, their truculent forward Dave ‘Don’t Mess With Me’ Hayward and their chatty, speedy attacker Chay Buckingham, who caused mayhem during the first-half and then donned his flip-flops to sit out the second period, during which his replacement Josh Northam netted the winning goal.

WALLACE POINTS TO A SPECK OF DUST ON HIS RIGHT BOOT...

"BUT REF, I'M ALWAYS MEAN. YOU CAN'T BOOK ME FOR BEING IN CHARACTER..."

An early looping Elliott Hillman header was caught under his crossbeam by the alert Currill, who also held onto a low cross from the left by striker Buckingham, following a rush of searing pace, then the striker surprisingly beat Newbould aerially but nodded too high. Two more threats by Buckingham were stifled by the rattled home defence but the glabrous number 11, Lewis Travers would have an influence on the game too, playing sensible passes and displaying common sense in possession. He drove a shot too high, then when a Currill pass to Kyle Ellery led to a mugging by the lively Jordan Jeacock, the right-flanker’s rising drive was flicked either by Currill or a challenging defender onto the crossbar and away for a corner. Hillman’s aerial prowess embarrassed Moreton again, when he leapt for a Gibbons corner from the left, won the header and somehow, Ellery and then the scrambling Currill kept the downward effort out of goal at the right upright, with some Adders yelling for ‘hand-ball’… 

CURRILL: FINE SAVE FROM TRAVERS LATER IN THE GAME...

Hayward, who had been dispossessed by a quiet Paul Whitehouse, hacked the Ranger down to earn a caution but half-time arrived with mumblings of discontent from the groundhoppers, one of whom yelled “Rubbish…” Enough said…

WALLACE: MR DISCONSOLATE ON THE DAY...

Certainly Moreton pushed forward after the interval but the lack of form, the heat and the trying too hard syndrome only served to frustrate themselves further. Brookes showed a poor touch when assisted by Wallace, he drove another shot too high and finally won a corner when challenging Bryant aerially. Wallace’s bouncing 18 yarder was picked up by the goalie, Shipman rose well for a Wyatt corner but headed too high, replacement Harry Peters shot a low but soft shot to the ‘keeper and Whitehouse fired a free-kick into a defensive wall, before smashing a left-booted rebound well wide of the target. Certainly Ellery had probably the best chance to score, lifting his 11 yard volley much too high, following a fine Tomes run to the right byeline. To cap it all, a very late centre from the right bounced off Newbould’s back for a goal-kick, summing up Rangers’ offense on the day.

"IT'S EITHER A CAUTION, OR YOU LICK MY BOOTS..."

Adderbury simply took the Rangers turgid efforts in their stride and Jeacock threatened Currill at the right post to win a corner, although questions were asked whether the ‘keeper had held the Adder, then from the subsequent right-flank flag-kick, despite the presence of the tall Shipman and Smith in the home defence, Travers, er, outjumped Wyatt and his downward header looked sure to find the net but somehow, Currill made a great save, turning the ball upwards and it clipped the top of the crossbar on the way down… Northam scored though, after persistence centrally by the impish Jeacock and the substitute turned to fire low past Currill into the bottom left corner of goal from 18 yards. And that was that… 

0-1...

...& THE ADDERS HAVE POOPED ON THE PARTY...

Hillman, Adam Atherton and the powerful Elliott Williams (he of the pre-match and post-match fag) simply stopped Wallace and Brooks, Joe Marron, Travers and Gibbons marauded in midfield and Hayward held up the ball well for much of the game but really, Bryant was rarely troubled in goal. In all honesty though, Tomes was the only home player who really looked on his game, bar Currill, although Shipman never flinched and wore his Captain’s armband with pride, alongside the combative Smith.

PETERS APOLOGISES TO GIBBONS FOR A HACK...

I left the almost empty car-park rather sadly but Rangers will no doubt go again and perhaps be a contender next term. Adderbury? I’d like to cover a home game there sometime…

THE BODGING WAS SO DESPERATE TO ESCAPE THE GROUNDHOPPERS THAT HE HID AS A TRACTOR MASCOT...

TEAMS:  

MORETON RANGERS:

OLLIE CURRILL, TOM NEWBOULD, KYLE ELLERY, MARTIN TOMES, HARRY SMITH, ADAM SHIPMAN (CAPT), LIAM NIMMO, PAUL WHITEHOUSE, DOUGIE WALLACE, LEE BROOKS, JAMIE WYATT.

SUBS:

TOM PASHLEY, HARRY PETERS, KYLE SMITH, JOE JARVIS.

ADDERBURY PARK:

CALLUM BRYANT, LEWIS BAKER, ELLIOTT HILLMAN, ADAM ATHERTON, ELLIOTT WILLIAMS, JOE MARRON, JOSH GIBBONS (CAPT), JORDAN JEACOCK, DAVE HAYWARD, CHAY BUCKINGHAM, LEWIS TRAVERS.

SUBS:

JOSH NORTHAM, JORDAN MALLOY, JAMES COLLIER, JORDAN REYNOLDS.