MORETON RANGERS 0-4 HARTPURY UNIVERSITY: THE MOWDOG'S INDEPENDENT REPORT...

 Hartpury Ease To League Title At London Road…

Moreton Rangers 0-4 Hartpury University FC

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

This was never going to be an easy task for Rangers against league leaders Hartpury and the difficulty was exacerbated by conceding an early own-goal, then two more goals well before the interval.

Despite being the dominant outfit, Uni didn’t actually create a huge number of scoring opportunities, although home goalie Jon White did make a couple of similar smart saves from Hartpury right-back George Sims after the break. 

In truth though, Uni won at a canter, fully able to replace their lively right-flank attacker Louis Manning and rapid two-goal forward King Baidoo well before the finish. Indeed, Manning scored the other Hartpury goal, whilst Baidoo’s pace was always tough for a keen but overworked Rangers defence to cope with.

UNI-HUDDLE...

All of that said however, Moreton generally competed very well and made a strong showing after half-time, during which right defenseman Sam Sherpa-Moore showed up well. One felt some sympathy for Rangers’ striker Jake Peters however, whose evening was fraught with frustration, feeding only on titbits. 

THE TOSS...

Just three times were the hosts able to get in efforts at goal and by the end of the fixture, Uni were coasting and getting ready to watch ‘keeper Stephen Sarkodie attempt to release stubborn gushes of bubbly from a bottle in order to celebrate their league Hellenic League Division 1 title win on the pitch in front of about eight or nine hardy spectators. I loved that…

THE CONTEMPLATION OF CHAMPIONS...

Apologies for any errors in identifying Moreton’s players, for a team-sheet couldn’t be located for me and I have to thank an acquaintance of mine at the ground for taking a photo of a hand-written list in the home dressing-room, so I hope that information is officially correct too…

Rangers’ offensive offerings…  

A low shot from downtown by Sherpa-Moore was blocked before the recess, whilst Sarkodie fell right in the second-half to stop a shot by Harry Walters, before a decent dipping volley from distance by the eager home forward Ibrahima Sewane Gueye dropped over the crossbeam. 

A QUIET EVENING FOR SARKODIE...

Hard running by Peters brought him no consolation or good fortune in attack, despite his team’s better passing during the more even second period.

The Hartpury offense… 

The own-goal began the proceedings, as Sean Snelling defended a right-flank centre by Manning but headed the ball past White from about 6 yards, as the impressive Riley McGregor lurked behind him.

Two one-twos with McGregor allowed Manning a chance centrally but White blocked his low shot, before a Ben Baxter corner on the right-flank found the head of a poorly marked Baidoo, whose effort was smartly deflected by the head of Ryan Hawkins onto the crossbar, from whence Baidoo hooked the loose ball into the net under pressure, leaving White helpless… 

WHITE: 3 DECENT SAVES...

0-2 became 0-3 soon afterwards, when Baidoo threaded a pass to the influential McGregor at inside-left and his low centre was collected by Manning and fired low and again left-footed into the right corner of the net…

After the break, Sims was denied twice by White’s legs from almost identical narrow-angle positions on the right, before finally, after one electric sprint by Baidoo had brought no reward for his team, he was spotted just left of centre by McGregor, who claimed another assist with an intelligent pass and the forward raced past defenders into the 18 yard box from where his measured low left-footer bobbled inside the right post to complete the scoring.

So, an own-goal and three left-booters for the Champions…

The final words…

The pitch was quite heavy and I guess not conducive to Uni’s passing game and at times the game descended into untidy headers and blustery, hurried kicks, often out of play.

Subsequently though, this was a game which Uni simply needed to win and actually, they surely didn’t really care how they achieved it and I guess that the game had been won by the half-hour mark anyway. 

Hawkins and fellow defenders Ryan O’Rourke and Snelling were often prominent for the hosts and defensively several other members of the team were diligent. However, visiting midfielder Alex Hainault, whose voice was so audible I thought he was wearing a microphone, was an effective and strong leader of troops, whilst skipper Kian Kang was persistent and industrious.

Baxter usually worked the left-flank well for Uni and took the set-piece responsibilities, whilst full-backs Sims, he of the long-throw, plus Drew Robinson supported central defensemen Owen Giles and Josh Roney well enough.

Replacement Billy Osborn was bright on the right during a cameo appearance and sturdy fellow substitute Mike Symons managed a smart head-down for the second of Sims’ two shots at goal.

Clearly the area behind the touchline on the dugout side of the pitch where I was standing rather gingerly had been used during previous matches by warming-up replacements and I began to think about World War 1 trenches and the need for duckboards… 

THE TRENCHES...

Yes, I know that’s odd but the game was over by 8.15pm and as the produce on the pitch became scrappier, my mind wandered slightly… 

Looking at the mire behind me certainly affected my decision not to retrieve balls from the bushes… 

Hearty congratulations to Hartpury!!!