13/12: FANTASTIC RESULT AGAINST PAK RANGERS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH MORE
Category: Match Reports
Posted by: Dan
The Woolpack FC 3 - 3 Pak Rangers
Starting Line-up: Battye, Kirby, Gill, Shaw, Ginty, Herbert, Newburn, Arnold, Ro.Hawkyard, Dawson, A.Bailey
Subs: C.Lockwood on for Dawson
Subs not used: T.Dyson, Eke, Martin
Goals: Newburn, A.Bailey, OG
Yellow Cards: Arnold
Man of the Match: A.Bailey - His first game back after his horrific injury and he his first touch was a goal. After that brilliant header he set up the second and was a persistent threat in the second half.
Wooden Spoon: Arnold - For not learning his lesson to shut up!
After 3 weeks without a game the Woolpack continued their good form by gaining a point from Pak Rangers, the side that would have won the league last season only to have points deducted. The result would be a surprise to those who weren't at the game, and especially more so when they knew that the Woolpack had 5 first team players absent. Adams, Campbell, Ritchie Hawkyard, Zac Stanger and Turpin all missing. So Kirby and Malcolm Gill had to fill in at full backs, Arnold moved into defence, Herbert came into midfield, Dawson was back up front and Aaron Bailey made his return from injury just in time, starting on the wing.
And it was Aaron Bailey who opened the scoring for the Woolpack. His sublime header in the first 3 minutes beat the Rangers keeper and gave the Woolpack a surprise lead. Then came the expected onslaught from Pak Rangers, but they couldn't break through this new defence. As the home side continued to win the midfield battle they broke through forcing a great save from Andy Battye who then conceded a weak rebound shot.
At 1-1 The Woolpack still looked strong with Ross Hawkyard dropping deep and playing the ball down the right wing for Scott Newburn, but he rarely found anyone wanting a final ball. Then when Aaron Bailey broke down the left he rounded the last defender and played a ball across to Newburn who was unmarked in the box and finished well.
2-1 up it should have been a time for composure, but the Woolpack players began loosing their cool at persistent bad tackles and simulation from Pak Rangers, and with little help from the ref it blew over a few times with Dean Arnold picking up a yellow card for his troubles. With everything heated Pak Rangers grabbed a last minute equaliser with a soft shot rolling under Battyes body in a one on one.
After a serious half time team talk the Woolpack players went out much more focused and despite a planned switch to a 4-5-1 they seemed on top, so the 4-4-2 stuck. To keep the rhythm going, the Woolpack pushed Bailey up front and brought Lockwood onto the wing. This did what normally happens when Goggles comes on, much more pressure going forward, but a big hole at the back. And this is where Malcolm Gill came to life, stopping everything whether it be down his left flank or through the middle.
Then the goal came that the Woolpack had been looking like getting for a while. With Lockwood putting a defender under pressure he knocked the ball into his own net from Hawkyards cross. Now the Woolpack had to defend and keep their cool. Everything was going well until a clumsy tackle from Lockwood gave Rangers a dangerous free-kick. But in the build up the referee spotted an attacker strike the face of Chris Shaw, a few scuffles and a straight red later the Woolpack now the lead and a 1 man advantage with only 10 minutes to go.
But in typical Woolpack style the ball was lost in attack, nobody tracked back and it left the defence over run at the back and on the third attempt Pak Rangers got their equaliser.
After watching the game the neutral would say that a draw was a fair result, as Pak Rangers had much more possession and dominated midfield, yet it was the Woolpack who caused more problems. The Woolpack however will be gutted to come away with only a point after being so close to a dramatic win.
Starting Line-up: Battye, Kirby, Gill, Shaw, Ginty, Herbert, Newburn, Arnold, Ro.Hawkyard, Dawson, A.Bailey
Subs: C.Lockwood on for Dawson
Subs not used: T.Dyson, Eke, Martin
Goals: Newburn, A.Bailey, OG
Yellow Cards: Arnold
Man of the Match: A.Bailey - His first game back after his horrific injury and he his first touch was a goal. After that brilliant header he set up the second and was a persistent threat in the second half.
Wooden Spoon: Arnold - For not learning his lesson to shut up!
After 3 weeks without a game the Woolpack continued their good form by gaining a point from Pak Rangers, the side that would have won the league last season only to have points deducted. The result would be a surprise to those who weren't at the game, and especially more so when they knew that the Woolpack had 5 first team players absent. Adams, Campbell, Ritchie Hawkyard, Zac Stanger and Turpin all missing. So Kirby and Malcolm Gill had to fill in at full backs, Arnold moved into defence, Herbert came into midfield, Dawson was back up front and Aaron Bailey made his return from injury just in time, starting on the wing.
And it was Aaron Bailey who opened the scoring for the Woolpack. His sublime header in the first 3 minutes beat the Rangers keeper and gave the Woolpack a surprise lead. Then came the expected onslaught from Pak Rangers, but they couldn't break through this new defence. As the home side continued to win the midfield battle they broke through forcing a great save from Andy Battye who then conceded a weak rebound shot.
At 1-1 The Woolpack still looked strong with Ross Hawkyard dropping deep and playing the ball down the right wing for Scott Newburn, but he rarely found anyone wanting a final ball. Then when Aaron Bailey broke down the left he rounded the last defender and played a ball across to Newburn who was unmarked in the box and finished well.
2-1 up it should have been a time for composure, but the Woolpack players began loosing their cool at persistent bad tackles and simulation from Pak Rangers, and with little help from the ref it blew over a few times with Dean Arnold picking up a yellow card for his troubles. With everything heated Pak Rangers grabbed a last minute equaliser with a soft shot rolling under Battyes body in a one on one.
After a serious half time team talk the Woolpack players went out much more focused and despite a planned switch to a 4-5-1 they seemed on top, so the 4-4-2 stuck. To keep the rhythm going, the Woolpack pushed Bailey up front and brought Lockwood onto the wing. This did what normally happens when Goggles comes on, much more pressure going forward, but a big hole at the back. And this is where Malcolm Gill came to life, stopping everything whether it be down his left flank or through the middle.
Then the goal came that the Woolpack had been looking like getting for a while. With Lockwood putting a defender under pressure he knocked the ball into his own net from Hawkyards cross. Now the Woolpack had to defend and keep their cool. Everything was going well until a clumsy tackle from Lockwood gave Rangers a dangerous free-kick. But in the build up the referee spotted an attacker strike the face of Chris Shaw, a few scuffles and a straight red later the Woolpack now the lead and a 1 man advantage with only 10 minutes to go.
But in typical Woolpack style the ball was lost in attack, nobody tracked back and it left the defence over run at the back and on the third attempt Pak Rangers got their equaliser.
After watching the game the neutral would say that a draw was a fair result, as Pak Rangers had much more possession and dominated midfield, yet it was the Woolpack who caused more problems. The Woolpack however will be gutted to come away with only a point after being so close to a dramatic win.
poo wrote: